Who was the Sibyl?

[Madaglan]

I am reading the works of the early Christians. Among the early works I am reading are those by Athenagoras, Theophilus of Antioch and Clement of Alexandria. I notice that whenever these writers mention the prophets, they also occassionally mention the Sybil prophetess [of Greece]. Supposedly this woman gave prophetic utterances not dissimiliar to those given by the Hebrew prophets. The early Christians writers seem to hold her in high regard.

However, I know little to nothing of this Sibyl. Does anyone know who she is and her place in Christianity?

 

[porthos11]

Madaglan:

I am reading the works of the early Christians. Among the early works I am reading are those by Athenagoras, Theophilus of Antioch and Clement of Alexandria. I notice that whenever these writers mention the prophets, they also occassionally mention the Sybil prophetess [of Greece]. Supposedly this woman gave prophetic utterances not dissimiliar to those given by the Hebrew prophets. The early Christians writers seem to hold her in high regard.

However, I know little to nothing of this Sibyl. Does anyone know who she is and her place in Christianity?

The Sybil was as you say a pagan Greek prophettess. Not only do the Fathers refer to this person, but it’s even mentioned in the liturgy! Well, the older one actually, in the Latin sequence “Dies Irae” in the old Mass for the Dead.

I’m not too familiar with the context the Fathers use but in the liturgy, it basically refers to the great Day believed in by both Jew (David) and Gentile (Sybil).