the mass in the east. v: syrian

Irish Jesuit Province

The Mass in the East. V: SyrianAuthor(s): Donald AttwaterSource: The Irish Monthly, Vol. 61, No. 719 (May, 1933), pp. 301-307Published by: Irish Jesuit ProvinceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20513528 .

Accessed: 16/06/2014 01:52

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Irish Jesuit Province is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Irish Monthly.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.31 on Mon, 16 Jun 2014 01:52:04 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=ijp

http://www.jstor.org/stable/20513528?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


301

THE MASS IN THE EAST. By DONALD ArTwATER.

V.-SYRIAN.

T -tHE West Syrian or Antiochene rite is used by a number of Arabic-speaking Syrians, with their own ecclesiastical organisations, chiefly in

Syria, Iraq and Kurdistan. They are divided into two bodies; the larger, called Jacobites, after their leader, Jacob Baradai, has been separated from Rome since the

middle of the fifth century and professes the Monophy site heresy: they number about 180,000. The Catholics, of whom there are some 71,000, are governed by their own Patriarch of Antioch, who lives at Beirut and under whom are five archbishops and two bishops.'

There is nothing very noticeable to look at about a Syrian Catholic Church, which may have points of resemblance to almost any sort of eastern church, or even resemble a Latin one (e.g., the one in Paris); on the other hand, their holy Liturgy is very interesting, for it is a form of the ancient Liturgy of St. James, originating in Antioch and Jerusalem, from which are d-escended the Byzantine, Armenian and perhaps the Chaldean Liturgies. The Maronite is another version of the same. It is now celebrated in Syriac (Aramaic, the language of our Lord), though originally in Greek.

A curtain being drawn across the sanctuary and the

choir singing the Third and Sixth hours of the Divine Office, the celebrant goes into the sanctuary, wearing his ordinary cassock and cylindrical black hat, and says

some preliminary prayers, including the psalm Mkserere, standing at the foot of the altar steps. Then

he goes up to the altar and prepares the vessels and

gifts; the bread, leavened and containing a little salt, is in the form of a round cake, and water is added to

the wine. After finishing his preparatory prayers he

T There is a greater number of Jacobites an the Malahar coast of India, from whom the Catholic group of Mar Ilvanios has now been formed. They all use this same Liturgy with local modifications.



302 T HE IRISH MONTHLY

retires to the sacristy and puts on the vestments which are of the usual full eastern forms.

The curtain is opened and the Liturgy of the Catechumens begins by the celebrant praying for remis sion of and protection from sins:

"0 O Lord, Almighty God, who forgives the sins of me-n and desires not the death of a transgressor, I stretch out to Thee the hands of my heart, asking for the forgiveness of all my sins, unworthy of it though I be; I implore thee to protect my soul from all the snares of the enemy.... . '

He goes up to the altar, uncovers the bread and winie, and offers them together, crossing his hands, and com

memorating the divine economy of the salvation of man kind: our Lord, His life, death, resurrection . . - the holy Eucharist . . . Adlam and Eve, our Lady, the prophets, apostles, etc., and all who have been pleasing to God. The conclusion, for all Christians, i particu larly finae:

" Inl like manner we commemorate our parents and

brethren, those who teach us the words of truth, our

dead and aN the faithful departed', particularly our

relatives and those associated with them, and the benefactors of this holy place, and all whosoever are in communion with us, whether it be by word or deed, by little thing or great, and most particularly Him for Whom this sacrifice is offered to-day, N."?

Then he commemorates the saint or feast of the day, prays for his ancestors, parents and rela-tions, and covers up the chalice and paten, saying: "1 The heavens have

been covered by His mighty splendour and the earth filled with His glory-" Saying a long prayer, he

incenses the altar, the gifts (the people repeating mementos of the saints after him), the clergy and the congregation.

A procession is formedi (the " little entrance "), the priest carrying thd Gospel book and the deacon incensing

it, which goes around the altar, the choir singing a hymn beginning:



THEP MASS IN THE EAST 303

"Glory to Thee, my God and my King, only begotten Son and Word of the Heavenly Father, who by His nature is immortal."

This finished, the celebrant at the altar sings the Trisagion three times:

"Holy God, holy Strong One, holy Deathless One."

Choir: " Have mercy on us."

While the priest says silently the prayer of the epistle the choir sings verse 8 of Galatians i, and the deacon, standing at the altar-rail and facing the people, chants the epistle in Arabic. A psalm-verse and alleluia are sung while the priest says the prayer of the gospel, and the deacon calls oni the people:

" Offer to the Lord a, sacrifice of praise, bring gifts and enter into the house of the Lord, worship Him before His holy altar. Alleluia! Let us attend and keep silence, listening with fear and a pure heart to the message of the life-giving words of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which is read to us.u

Priest: " The holy gospel of our Lord . . ., etc. People: " And with thy spirit."

Priest: " The holy gospel of our Lord . . . ," etc. He chants the gospel in Arabic, acolytes with lights standing on either side and the deacon swinging the thurible.

After a. variable hymn, the Liturgy of the Faithful begins with a long prayer in three parts, in which the priest, recognising his unworthiness for so sacred an office, asks the divine mercy to supply his lack, pardon his faults, etc. Then he incenses the altar, clergy and

people, while the deacon chants the Creed, which has been intoned by the celebrant, " We believe in one God," etc. The priest washes his hands, and silently recites a

sort of Confiteor, beginning "My brethern and my friends, pray for me."

The canon (anaphora)2 begins with the prayer and kiss of peace, the deacon kissing the altar and the cele

2 The Catholic Syrians have 7 anaphoras, of which this "Of St. James," is the dhief,



304 THE IRISH MONTHLY

brant's hand and the people passing it among them selves by touching hands. The priest chants prayers for the blessing of God and a worthy offering, blesases the people, and the deacon sings:

" Let us hold ourselves worthily, with fear and purity and holiness and charity and true faith; above all with fear of God, observing His holy oblation which is displayed before us and which is offered for us, a living Victim to God the Father, by the hands of His priest."

Priest: "Let u-s lift up our minds, our thoughts, and our hearts.

People: "They are to the Lord."1 Priest: "Let us give thanks to the Lord with

fear." People: "It is just aind right."

He begins the preface inaudibly, continues it aloud, the choir singing the Sanctus and Benedictus, to which he adds a long amplifica-tion privately, leading directly to the words of consecration which are sung aloud, the people answering "I Amen." There are no elevations or genuflections, but a profound bow. Priests and people commemorate the Lord's death, resurrection, ascension and second coming, and while he makes the invocation of the Holy Ghost inaudibly the deacon chants:

" How terrible is this hour and sacred this moment, O my brothers, for the holy and life-giving Spirit comes down from the heights of Heaven and rests upon the Eucharist in this sanctuary to sanctify it; stand up, then, in fear, and pray. May peace be upon us and the care of God our Father with all. Let us

say aloud, and three times, Kyrie cleison." People: " Kyrie eleison 9 (ter).

The priest continues and concludes the invocation aloud, the people answering " Amen." Then comnes a long

memento of the living and the dead, the finest general intercession in any lUiturgy. The deacon prays in litany form, the people answering Kyrie eleison, for the living Fathers (the Pope of Rome, the Patriarch of



THE MASS IN THE EAST 305

Antioch, the bishop and clergy), for all our brethren, for sovereigns and rulers, for the intercession of the Saints, for the fathers of the Church who are dead, for all the faithfiul departed ;3 during each litany the priest says secretly a prayer to the same effect, continued and concluded aloud after each division. The first of these prayers begins: "; We otfer this great and bloodless sacrifice for Thy holy Church who puts her confidence therein, particularly for Sion, mother of all orthodox churches. Granit lher, 0 Lord, the gifts of Thy spirit."4 This great manifestation of the oneness and] reality of the Mystical Body ends appropriately with a blessing:

"1 o May the mercy of the great God and of our

Savioutr Jesus Chlrist be upon youi for ever, my brethren. "7

While the choir sings a hymi proper to the feast, the priest performs the rather conplex ceremony of breaking the Bread. The effect of it is that one piece of the Host is dropped into the chalice and all the othler particles, including those required for the Communion of the people, arc, so to say, anoinited "1 with the precious

Blood, one particle, having, beenl dipped several times into the chalice b)eing used as a " bruish "1 for this pur

pose. Then hie intones the Ouir Fathler, which is taken up by the people in Aral)ic, and adds:

"0 Lord God, keep from uis any temptation we are unable to resist or give uis strength so to dP, and deliver us from evil .. . >>

After further short prayers he elevates first the Host on the paten and then the chalice, to the level of his eyes, chanting " Holy things to the holy and pure,'" and while the deacon replies, "c The Father alonre is holy, the Son alone is holy, the Holy Ghost alone is holy. Blessed be the name of the Lord . . . ." etc., he makes the sign of

3 On the altar is 'a tablet bearing the namLes of the dead for whom prayers are asked. At this point the celebrant touches the sacred

Host and makes a triple sign of the cross over the -naxmes. 4 Jerusalem was, of couse, the first of all Christian ohurches, and

this reference to it reminds us of the origin of this Liturgy there and at Anticdh.



306 THE IRISH MONTHLY

the cross with the Host on the paten and kisses it, and the sa-me with the chalice.

The priest communicates himself by receiving the particle immersed in the chalice with a spoon and drinks of the precilous Blood. The people receive Holy Communion in a particularly impressive fashion. With the paten in one hand and the chalice in the other, the celebrant says aloud! three short prayers, asking for pardon of sins and the grace of the sacrament; at each prayer he descendsga step of the altar anrd so reaches

the ralls, where he hands the paten and chalice to the deacon. He then administers a particle of the Host to each of the lay-people, who are standing, and in conse quence of the "c anointing "1 above referred to they

receive under both kinds. Then he again takes the paten and chalice and blesses them therewith, saying:

" Glory to Thee, glory to Thee, glory to Thee, for

ever, our Lord and our God. 0 Lord Jesus Christ, may Thy Body with which we are nourished and Thy propitiating Blood of which we have drunk, be not for our judgment and our condemnation but for the everlasting life and salvation of us all."

People: "The world bows down and worships Thee

and every tongue speaks Thy name, for Thou art the resurrecti-on of the dead and the sure hope of those that sleep. We praise Thee and we thank Thee,

O Lord God."'

After reciting prayers of thanksgiving the celebrat dismisses the people with a blessing:

" Peace be with you all."

People: "And with thy spirit." Priest: 0 great and worshipful God, who has

opened the heavens and come down therefrom for the Maving of the human race, look on us with mercy and grace. Bless Thy people and preserve Thine inherit ance, for at all times we praise Thee, Who art God,8

5 Note this remarkable expression of the divinity of Chrirst, a prayor addressed to him as and under the name of God.



THE MASS IN THE EAST ST?

with God the Father Who begot Thee and with the Holy Spirit, now, always and for ever and ever."

People: "Amen." Priest: "4u Go in peace, brethren, and pray for

me.'"

The priest then consumes what remains of the holy Things, cleanses his hand's and the vessels, and makes his thanksgiving, including the final prayer before the altar which expresses that devotion and respect for God's table common to all orientals:

"Remain in peace, 0 holy altar of the Lord. I know not if I shall again return to thee or no Remain in peace, table of life, to be a witness for me before our Lord Jesus Christ of Whom I will not cease to think, henceforth and for ever. Aften."^

The Syrians are one of the smallest of Catholic bodies, but their form of the holy Sacrifice is in some respects the most ancient of any still in use, and it is one of the

most beautiful; the writer will not easily forget the first time he assisted at its celebration most appropriately on the hill of Sion, "mother of all orthodox churches," and

within the octave of the Pentecost, twelve years ago. In reading the text there stands out its simplicity, its consciousness of utter unworthiness washed, away by the Blood of Christ, and its emphiasis on the unity and extension of the Church which is His Body-" all who are in communion with us, whether by word or deed, by little things or great." There is no English translation of the present use of this Liturgy, but one is being pre pared by a Syrian Catholic priest of Aleppo. There is a useful little book published by La Bonne Presse (rue Bayard 5, Paris), called Petit Manuel de la Hoe8 Syrienne.



the mass in the east. v: syrian

Documents