Il mistero dell’incarnazione nel commento al “Simbolo Apostolico” di san Quodvultdeus di Cartagine

Abstract

The first Commentaries to the “Apostolic Symbol”, written in a quite simple language, spread about the IV century among the Latin Churches, which were ac­customed to use professions of faith reproducing the “Roman Symbol”, a model for the textus receptus of the “Symbol” so called “of the Apostles”, an excellent summary of the revealed truths. St. Quodvultdeus of Carthage, in his Sermones de Symbolo, comments the first article of the “Apostolic Symbol” by affirming that it contains the whole faith in the Trinity and the plan of salvation. In commenting the second article, St. Quodvultdeus of Carthage explains how the Incarnate Son is the Messiah announced by the prophets of the Old Testament. Such Incarnation constitutes the second birth of the Word of God after that from the Father without any participation from a mother. He further highlights the great dignity of Mary, playing a quite active role in the work of the Incarnation by gi­ving birth to her Creator. The coming of the Son of God into the world was carried out in a miraculous way, by the work of the Holy Spirit and without the participation of man. For this reason Mary remains virgin and the true Son of God becomes a true man, while still remaining equal to the Father in his divinity. By assuming the human nature in the Incarnation, the Son of God took on Himself all that constitutes a true hu­man being: the soul and the body, already redeemed and sanctified in the very moment of the Incarnation.