Liturgies of the Eastern Church

In the Mass of the Eastern Church there are two Introits, although neither is precisely the same thing a the Latin rite, but rather a minor and greater procession. The former takes place a little before the expulsion of the catechumens, and consists only of the translation of the book of the Holy Gospels to the altar by the deacon. The latter, or greater Introit, called by the Greeks "Megale Eisodon," follows the expulsion of the catechumens, and is attended with such a gorgeous display of ritual that many have taken umbrage at it. To understand the ground offence it must be borne in mind that on the occasion of this major Introit the unconsecrated elements are carried in solemn procession from the prothesis, or cruet-table., to the main altar amid fumes if incense and a multitude of blazing torches. An army of deacons and acolytes accompanies the procession, and the people of the congregation as it passes \along prostrate themselves in silent adoration. It was this latter feature that formed the chief cause of complaint, and that led the censors sent our by the Holy See to the Eastern region to abolish this rite in the liturgies of the orthodox. The Orientals attempt a defense of their seemingly strange custom by saying that no adoration whatever is here intended, but only what may be termed a sort of anticipatory reverence in view of what the elements will be changed into in course of the Holy Sacrifice, viz., the Body and Blood of Christ. This is the explanation given by Gabriel, Exarch of Philadelphia, in Lydia, Asia Minor (Neale, Holy Eastern Church I. 375).

When the priest had finished the Introit he proceeds to the middle of the altar, and there recited alternately with the server the "Kyrie eleison," or Minor Litany, as it used to be called in the early days. When it is a Solemn High Mass this is recited at the book. "Kyrie eleison," and its accompanying "Christe eleison," are two Greek expressions meaning "Lord have mercy on us," Christ have mercy on us." Including what is said by the priest of this solemn petition for mercy, and what is said by the clerk or server, we have in all nine separate petitions, which liturgical writers interpret as follows: "Kyrie eleison" is said three times to God the father for his manifold mercies; "Christe eleison" is said three times to God the Son, the author of our redemption; and "Kyrie eleison" is thrice repeated again to God the Holy Ghost, the sanctifier and console (Kosma, 168).

There is a very ancient tradition, and, to say the least of it, a very beautiful one, to the effect that our Divine Lord, on the occasion of his glorious ascension into heaven, tarried one day with each of the nine choirs of angles before he reached the celestial throne, and that in memory of this the "Kyria" is repeated nine times (Neale Song of Songs, p. 86). This tradition, according to some of the Early Fathers, furnishes a key to the interpretation of that passage in the Canticle of Canticles where the spouse is represented as "leaping upon the mountains" and "skipping over the hills" (chap II 8). The mountains and the hills, say they, are the grades of the angelic choir through which our Lord passed (ibid).

Some attribute the introduction of the "Kyrie" into the Mass to Pope Gregory the Great; but this can not be correct, for that holy pontiff himself said that he only caused it to be recited by both priest and people, because in the Greek Church it was solely confined to the latter, and even then there was no mention whatever of the "Christe eleison." Another very strong proof of the earlier introduction of it is that the Fathers of the second Council of Vaison, held in A.D. 529, speak of it as if well known throughout the whole Church; and this was at least sixty years before Pope Gregory's pontificate. We deem it well to quote the words of this council: "Let that beautiful custom of all the provinces of the West and of Italy be kept up, viz., that of singing with grand effect and compunction the 'Kyrie eleison' at Mass, Matins and Vespers - because so sweet and pleasing a chant, even though continued day and night without interruption, could never produce disgust or weariness" (Summa Conciliorum, p. 89).

In many churches the custom prevailed for some time of intermingling with the "Kyrie" certain intercalary expressions touching the nature of the feast of the occasion. Thus, on feasts of the Blessed Virgin it would read after this manner: "O, Lord, Thou lover of virginity, illustrious Father and Mary's Creator, have mercy on us": and so one with the rest of it (Romsee, p. 84).

The Ambrosians, or those who follow the Milanese Rite, recite the "Kyrie" at three different periods of the Mass, viz., after the "Gloria in excelsis," after the gospel, and at the conclusion of divine service.

There are certain words and expression so peculiarly adapted to the language in which they were first conceived that they lose all their force and beauty when translated into another. Of such a nature are the words "alleluia," "hosanna," and "Kyrie eleison." But there is a deeper reason than this for retaining them in he Mass. Originally the church was principally formed our of three different nations, viz., the Latin, the Greek, and the Hebrew - and in order to testify that the belief of these three nations was one and the same, the Western or Latin Church thought it proper to preserve the memory of the fact by adopting phrases from each of them. From the Greek we have "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison," and in the Improperia of Good Friday, "Agios Theos, Agios Ischuros, Agios Athanatos"; and from the Hebrew, "amen," "Alleluia," "hosanna," "Sabaoth," "Cherubim" and "seraphim," and several others which occur now and then in the Epistles and Gospels. But liturgical writers five several others reasons for the retention of these languages in the Mass, foremost of which is that they have ever been looked upon as venerable and sacred, from the fact that the title of the cross was written in them; and as the sacrifice of the Mss and that offered on the cross are one and the same, except that the former is offered in an unbloody manner, what could be more appropriate than to give these hallowed languages a place in it? The Greek has innumerable other claims to the place it holds. It was the vernacular of some, in fact we mgith say of the vast majority, of the early heroes and defenders of the faith - of St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Basil the Great, St. John Damascene, and hosts of others. It was in it that the very valuable and venerable translation of the Scriptures called the Septuagint was made, from which our Lord and his blessed Apostles drew so largely in their addresses to the people (Dixon, Introduction to the Sacred Scrip., p. 98).

One thing alone, to pass over all others, should entitle the Hebrew to a place in the Mass, viz., it was the language of Melchisedec, the prototype in the old law of our Divine Lord himself in relation to his sacred and eternal priesthood. It was also the vernacular of our Lord and his ever-blessed Mother, not to say of the majority of his disciples in the new law. We do not think it necessary to enter here into a full history of the ancient Hebrew and the name it is so often know by, viz., the Syro-Chaldaic, or Syriac. Let is suffice to say that since the Babylonic captivity there has been no true Hebrew spoken by the Jews; and that what goes by that name in the New Testament was an Aramean branch of the Semitic family of languages know as the Syriac. It can be proved, almost to a demonstration, that this was the language our Lord spoke.

Oriental Usage Regarding the "Kyrie eleison." - The Liturgy of St. James is the only Eastern Liturgy which enjoins the recital of the "Kyrie" on the priest. In all the others it is solely confined to the choir and people, who, however, one no occasion say "Christe eleison." The Liturgy of St. Chrysostom prescribes the recital of the "Kyrie" after all the principal supplications. 

The Greeks never use the salution "Dominus vobiscum," but always say in its stead "Eirene pasi," that is, "Peace to all": to which is responded "Kai to pneumati sou." "And to thy spirit." The same forms are observed in all the other churches of the East, with very little difference. At several parts of the Mass it is customary with the Nestorian priest to make the sing of the cross upon themselfes when using this salutation, which is generally, "Peace be with your all." Their deacons, for the most part, say, "Peace be with us." (Badger, Nestorians and their Rituals, II. 237 et passim).

Prayers of the Oriental Church - The prayers used in the Orientals are much more numerous than in the Latin rite, as may be readily seen from any one of their liturgies. In length, too, they far exceed those that we employ, for which reason alone the service of Mass in the East occupies nearly twice the time that the Latin rite does. The Copts generally add prayers for the favorable flow of the Nile, which is to them one of the chief sources of temporal blessings, for the entire vegetation and fecundity of Egypt depend upon its inundations. The "Oratio fluminis," or "Prayer of the River," is thus worded: "Remember, O, Lord! The waters of the river, and bless and increase them according to their measure."

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