in ecclesiastical writers, a sermon or discourse upon some point of religion, delivered in a plain manner, so as to be easily understood by the common people. The word is Greek, ὁμιλία; formed of ὁμός, cætus, "assembly or council."

The Greek homily, says M. Fleury, signifies a familiar discourse, like the Latin sermo; and discourses delivered in the church took these denominations, to intimate, that they were not harangues or matters of ostentation and flourishes, like those of profane orators, but familiar and useful discourses, as of a matter to his disciples, or a father to his children.

All the homilies of the Greek and Latin fathers are composed by bishops. We have none of Tertullian, Clemens Alexandrinus, and many other learned persons; because, in the first ages, none but bishops were admitted to preach. The privilege was not ordinarily allowed to priests till toward the fifth century. St Chrysostom was the first presbyter that preached officially. Origen and St Augustine also preached; but it was by a peculiar licence or privilege.

Photius distinguishes homily from sermon; in that the homily was performed in a more familiar manner, the prelate interrogating and talking to the people, and they in their turn answering and interrogating him, so that it was properly a conversation; whereas the sermon was delivered with more form, and in the pulpit, after the manner of the orators.

The practice of compiling homilies, which were to be committed to memory, and recited by ignorant or indolent priests, commenced towards the close of the 8th century; when Charlemagne ordered Paul Deacon and Alcuin to form homilies or discourses upon the Gospels and Epistles, from the ancient doctors of the church. This gave rise to that famous collection intitled the Homiliarium of Charlemagne, and which being followed as a model by many productions of the same kind, composed by private persons, from a principle of pious zeal, contributed much (says Mosheim) to nourish the indolence, and to perpetuate the ignorance of a worthless clergy.

There are still extant several fine homilies, composed by the ancient fathers, particularly St Chrysostom and St Gregory.

Clementine Homilies, in ecclesiastical history, are nineteen homilies in Greek, published by Cotelarius, with two letters prefixed; one of them written in the name of Peter, the other in the name of Clement, to James bishop of Jerusalem; in which last letter they are intitled Clement's Epitome of the Preaching and Travels of Peter. According to Le Clerc, these homilies were composed by an Ebionite in the second century; but Montaucon supposes that they were forged long after the age of St Athanasius. Dr Lardner apprehends, that the Clementine homilies were the original or first edition of the Recognitions; and that they are the same with the work censured by Lactantius under the title of Dialogues of Peter and Apion.