ταῦτα, signifies true, faithful, certain. It is made use of likewise to affirm any thing, and was a sort of affirmation used often by our Saviour: Αμήν, Αμήν, λέγω ὑμῖν, i.e. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Lastly, it is understood as expressing a wish: as, amen, so be it, Numb. v. 22; or an affirmation, amen; yes, I believe it, 1 Cor. xiv. 16. The Hebrews end the five books of Psalms, according to their way of distributing them, with the words amen, amen; which the Septuagint have translated γενορο, γενορο; and the Latins fiat, fiat. The Greek and Latin churches have preserved this word in their prayers, as well as alleluiah and hosannah; because they observed more energy in them than in any terms which they could use in their own languages. At the conclusion of the public prayers, the people answered with a loud voice, Amen; and St Jerome says, that at Rome, when the people answered amen, the sound of their voices was like a clap of thunder: In similitudine celestis tonitrui amen reboat. The Jews assert that the gates of heaven are opened to him who answers amen with all his might.