On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city [Rome] or in the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us, urging everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray. On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks as well as possible, and the people give their assent by saying: “Amen.” The eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates [takes communion], and the deacons take it to those who are absent. The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress. We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world , and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

—Justin Martyr (ca. mid-second century), First Apology