in ecclefliafical writers, a fermon or di- course upon fome point of religion, delivered in a plain manner, fo as to be eaſily understood by the common people. The word is Greek, ὁμιλία; formed of ὁμίλος, catēr, "assembly or council."

The Greek homily, fays M. Fleury, signifies a fa- miliar discourse, like the Latin fermo; and discourses delivered in the church took thefe denominations, to intimate, that they were not harangues or matters of oſtentation and flourish, like thofe of profane orators, but familiar and uſeful discourses, as of a mafter to his disciples, or a father to his children.

All the homilies of the Greek and Latin fathers are composed by bishofs. We have none of Tertullian, Clemens Alexandrinus, and many other learned per- fons; becaufe, in the firft ages, none but bishofs were admitted to preach. The privilege was not ordinarily allowed to priests till toward the fifth century. St Chryfotom was the firft prefbyter that preached fla- tedly. Origen and St Auguftine alfo 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 anfwer ing and interrogating him, fo that it was properly a conversation; whereas the fermon 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 clofe of the 8th century, when Charlemagne ordered Paul Deacon and Alcuin to form homilies or discourses upon the Gof- pels and Epiftles, from the ancient doctors of the church. This gave rise to that famous collection in- titled the Homiliarium of Charlemagne, and which being followed as a model by many productions of the fame kind, compofed by private persons, from a principle of Homily 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 Cotelerius, 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 entitled 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 Montfaucon 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 Eusebius under the title of Dialogues of Peter and Appian.