Ramsha

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Ramsha in Syriac Aramaic script. Ramsha in Syriac Aramaic.svg
Ramsha in Syriac Aramaic script.

Ramsha [1] (Aramaic : ܪܡܫܐ) is the Aramaic and East Syriac Rite term for the evening Christian liturgy followed as a part of the seven canonical hours or Divine Office, roughly equivalent to Vespers in Western Christianity. It's also called Ramsho in the West Syriac Rite. It is used in the Syriac churches of the East Syriac tradition, including the Assyrian Church of the East of Iraq, the Ancient Church of the East of Iraq, the East Syriac Saint Thomas Christians of the Malabar coast, Kerala, India (Syro Malabar Catholic Church and Chaldean Syrian Church), and the Chaldean Catholic Church of Iraq. The Chaldean Catholic and Syro-Malabar Churches are all Eastern Catholic churches in full communion with the Catholic Church. [2]

Contents

In the East Syriac tradition, a liturgical day begins with the Ramsha during evening at 6:00 pm which draws direct reference from Genesis 1:5. [3] This evening prayer is equivalent to the time of Vespers in the Latin or Roman tradition. The Second Vatican Council made it clear that the canonical hours, referred to as the "Liturgy of the Hours" within the new form of the Roman Rite, are the official prayers of the Catholic Church along with the celebration of the Eucharist, which is done in the Holy Qurbana or Qurbono in the Syriac tradition. [4]

Canonical hours in the Syriac tradition

Ramsha prayer book of
the Syro-Malabar Church Ramsha of Syro-Malabar Church.jpg
Ramsha prayer book of
the Syro-Malabar Church

The Shehima, the Divine Prayers, Divine Office, Liturgy of the Hours, or canonical hours are all regular terms for the liturgy Ramsha is a part of. In accordance with the Jewish tradition, the following are the seven times of prayer in the Syriac Churches:

Canonical hours in East Syriac and English
East Syriac nameEnglish nameTime
Ramsha Vespers or Evening Liturgy6 pm
Suba-a Compline 9 pm
Lelya Midnight Liturgy 12 am
Qala d ShahraVigil Liturgy3 am
Sapra Matins/Morning Liturgy6 am
Quta'a3rd Hour9 am
Endana [5] [6] 6th Hour12 pm
D' Batsha Shayin9th Hour3 pm

See also

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References

  1. "Home". Maronite Monks of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  2. Fr. Varghese Pathikulangara CMI (2011). Divine Praises in Aramaic Tradition (PDF). Kottayam: Denha Services. pp. 8–12. ISBN   978-93-81207-02-4.
  3. George Percy Badger (1852). The Nestorians and Their Rituals. Kurdistan: Joseph Masters. p.  16.
  4. "Divine Office". Catholic Encyclopedia.
  5. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-04-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "About Ramsha Brands".