Apocryphal means false, suspect. Expression used when a fact or a work does not have its authenticity proven, that is, it has a suspicious or doubtful origin.
Considering the legal norms, an apocryphal document is one that has no known origin, does not bear identification or signature, or is not authenticated.
In Literature, apocryphal is also an adjective used to designate a work by an unknown author.
Apocrypha is a qualifying adjective, from the Greek term apokryphos, which means hidden, one that has not been explored. It is a term often used by Catholics when referring to all writings on sacred subjects, not included by the Christian Church in books of divine inspiration, which are considered authentic.
For the Catholic religion, all books written without acknowledging the teachings of Jesus Christ are considered apocryphal books, also called books pseudo-canonical, which according to religion some writings prove that they cannot be accepted as the word of God, as they contain teachings inconsistent with the rest of the Bible. There are several apocryphal books, mainly from the New Testament, some of which had a wide acceptance. Some examples of apocryphal books are: Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Apocrypha of James and Revelation of Paul.
