In the early 1980s, M.-J. Rondeau published two volumes on Les commentaires patristiques du psautier (IIIe-Ve siècles), Rome, Pontificium institutum orientalium studiorum, 1982-1985. In them she emphasised the importance of prosopological exegesis for the Fathers, especially Augustine of Hippo. Since then, a plethora of articles and books have been published on this subject. This article summarises them. It highlights the accuracy of M.-J. Rondeau’s intuitions, discusses their limitations and outlines the fields that still require further study. It proceeds in four stages. First, it analyses the relationship between Augustine and his sources (especially Tyconius) concerning prosopology. Second, it brings together the scriptural foundations of this hermeneutic. Third, it questions its theological basis (Christus totus et una [quaedam] persona). Fourth, it draws out the pastoral consequences and points out that the pragmatic dimension of this Augustinian theology still needs to be explored in greater depth.

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