Kyrie Eleison

[pax]

This is just a question that I've been kind of curious about. Does anyone attend a parish where they regularly sing the Kyrie? It seems as though the practice has almost disapeared in my area, and I wish it wouldn't. I think it really enhances the Penitential Rite.

 

[Fr. Rob]

Pax, Pax

Are you referring to singing it in Greek?

In the Primitive Episcopal Church (my branch of Anglican Catholicisim) you can't celebrate the Eucharist without at least saying the Kyrie in english. We have two ways to do it.

The first, which is our general use on Sundays after Trinity (i.e., what you Romans call Ordinary Time) and our parish use during Eastertide is to begin the liturgy thus:

Invocation
Collect for Purity
The Short Summary of the Law
The Kyrie
The Mutual Salutation and Collect (Prayer) of the Day

Note that, in the Anglican Rite, the Gloria in excelsis historically comes as a fixed Post-Communion Canticle, which is only omitted during Advent and Lent.

Now, on Advent and Lenten Sundays, as well as one "green sunday" per month, we do the Decalouge-Kyrie, which is the Ten Commandments, set out in Litany Form, to which the following response is sung after Commandments 1-9:

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

After the final commandment is sung:

Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in our hearts we beseech thee.

On "Commandment Sundays" the basic structure is:

Invocation
Collect for Purity
The Decalouge-Kyrie
The Mutual Salutation and Collect (Prayer) of the Day.

My Church has two rites, and Rite Two (shorter) is a bit different in arrangement, but then again, you didn't ask for a Liturgics lesson, so. . .

Yes, we sing the Kyrie every week, in one form or another. We sing it in English, either as part of the response to the Commandments, or in threefold unison form to the Merbecke or Healey Willan settings of the Anglican Mass.

The actual text in the Anglican Rite is not Lord, have mercy, but is:

Lord have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us.
Lord have mercy upon us.

I'll shut up now.

Fr. Rob

 

[jukesk9]

Fr. Rob,

I apologize if someone has already asked you and I missed the answer, but what's the differences between your Primitive Episcopal Church and the Catholic Church? Obviously the recognition of the pope, but do you believe in the Real Presence and the six other Sacraments?

 

[ZooMom]

We sing...

Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.

...at every Mass, with the priest singing it first then the congregation responding. Although, I suppose it would be considered more of a chant than 'singing'. Is that what you mean, or is there something longer that you were talking about?

 

[Fr. Rob]

Originally posted by jukesk9
Fr. Rob,

I apologize if someone has already asked you and I missed the answer, but what's the differences between your Primitive Episcopal Church and the Catholic Church? Obviously the recognition of the pope, but do you believe in the Real Presence and the six other Sacraments?

In fact, no, no-one has asked in depth about the differences. I'll offer this, and if there is sufficient interest, I'll start a thread.

The Primitive Episcopal Church is a jurisdiction of the Catholic Church which is Anglican in Liturgical expression and ecclesial polity. We, like the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Old Catholic, Anglican Communion, and other bodies hold to the necessity of the historic episcopate and apostolic succession as the source of authority within the Church.

The Primitive Episcopal Church is a convergence movement, made up of individuals who have come out of many streams of Catholic and non-Catholic Christianity. We have ex-Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Old Catholics, Methodists, Eastern Orthodox, Assemblies of God, Pentecostal, etc... ministers and laics who participate in the life of the Church. We are dedicated to traditional, reverent liturgy (though we are not opposed to finding unique ways to express our liturgical heritage).

The Primitive Episcopal Church holds the Bible, Book of Common Prayer, and Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion as the authoritative statements of doctrine, which all clergy are required to subscribe to (much like RC clergy are required to subscribe -- or were until 1984, not sure now -- to the Creed of the Council of Trent) for the purpose of unity. The Book of Common Prayer is our combo-book which contains the Breviary (Morning, MidDay, Evening, Night Prayer) the Litanies, the Holy Eucharist -- service and propers -- and the Rituals for the Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Ministry to the Sick & Reconciliation, Ordination), Burial, Family Prayer, a brief catechesim, and the Psalter, for use in the Office and the eucharist. The PEC just approved a new revision of the BCP, which will be released later this year.

The PEC tends to lean towards the most literalistic interpretations of scripture possible, using the formula of scripture/scripture, scripture/tradition, scripture/reason as the basis for our stands on moral, theological, ethical, and other issues.

We have a Bishop Ordinary, consecrated by an Eastern Rite bishop, also consecrated by Anglican rite Bishops, who is the source of constant, valid orders.

The PEC does *NOT* ordain women to any order of ministry. Many other Anglican bodies have, but we stand with rome in stating that it is impossible, based upon scripture and the undivided tradition of the Church, to ordain women. No Council or pope or bishop or angry activist can or will ever change that fact.

The PEC permits a married clergy, including entering Marriage after being ordained.

The PEC forbids artifical chemical contraception as abhorrent before God. Use of Chemical Contraception is ipso-facto an excommunication offence.

The PEC strongly frowns upon barrier method contraception, and is currently debating a policy that would also condem the use of such methods.

The PEC is a strong advocate for the life of the unborn, but (sadly) many of our clergy disagree on the Death Penalty (which I abhor).

The PEC commemorates the examples of the saints regularlly, especially in the daily rythym of prayer in the Church. Collects (Prayers) are appointed for approximately 20 holy days of obligation in the Book of Common Prayer. A further 150 or so are commeorated in an upcoming publication, Saints and Seasons. These prayers, however, do not ask for the aid of the saints, but instead ask God to give us grace through our faithfullness to emulate their examples of life.

Anglicans do pray the rosary, but use the more ancient Sarum form of the Hail Mary:

Rejoice, thou highly favoured daughter! The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blest is the fruit of thy womb; Jesus.
Son of Mary, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon us sinners, now and at the hour of death. Amen.

We also change the last two mysteries from Assumption and Coronation to The Christian Diaspora (The Message goes forth) and the Connsumation of the Kingdom at the End of the Age (the General Resurrection and judgement).

We do not hold to the Marian doctrines of Immaculate Conception, Assumption, or Perpetual virginity. IC we reject as being unscriptural. Assumption and Perpetual Virginity is a matter of personal opinion. Some people can reconcile the IC with the scriptures in a way that does violence to neither concept. If so, then it too is a personal choice. The Church celebates the Solemnity of Saint Mary the Virgin on August 15th. Mary is also central to three Lesser feasts on the Saints and Seasons Calendar, Visitation on May 31; Nativity of Mary on sept. 8; and the Conception of the Theotokos on December 8.

We do not practice the veneration of relics, and we do not reserve the Blessed Sacrament as a general rule. ( I do as a hospital chaplain, and Mission Pastors do if needed ).

We believe in the Real and True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We believe that only a Bishop or Presbyter in Apostolic Succession can properly and rightly consecrate the Elements. We believe that real wine, not grape juice, must be used.

My fingers are tired, so I will stop typing at the moment. I am happy, however, to answer further questions.

Father Rob

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

We sang the Kyrie during Lent, but don't sing it during other times of the year.