Preface (liturgy)

Last updated

In liturgical use the term preface is a formal thanksgiving that immediately precedes (or forms part of) the Canon, Eucharistic Prayer, Prayer of Consecration or analogous portion of the Eucharist (Holy Communion, Mass or Divine Liturgy). [1] The preface, which begins at the words, "It is very meet and just, right and salutary" (or a variation thereof) is ushered in, in all liturgies, with the Sursum corda ("Lift up your hearts") and ends with the Sanctus ("Holy, Holy, Holy").

Contents

In most Western liturgies, proper prefaces are appointed for particular occasions. In the various Eastern liturgies there is great variation. Among those who follow the Rite of Constantinople the audible portion of the preface does not change, but the silent prayer said by the priest will differ depending upon whether it is the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom or the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. Among the Oriental Orthodox Churches the preface will take different forms, depending upon the liturgical rite or the particular feast day.[ citation needed ]

Anglican forms

In the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the preface omits the Dominus vobiscum ("The Lord be with you") and is in the form: [2]

Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up unto the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
People: It is meet and right so to do.
Priest: It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God.
(A proper preface may follow for certain occasions)
Priest: Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and saying:

Then the Sanctus is said or sung. In more modern orders of service, it is common for the Dominus vobiscum to introduce the Sursum corda.

Byzantine form

In the Byzantine Rite, the preface opens with the following:

Greek originalEnglish translation [3]
DeaconἊς σταθοῦμε καλά· ἂς σταθοῦμε μὲ φόβο· ἂς προσέξουμε νὰ προσφέρωμε τὴν ἁγία ἀναφορὰ μὲ εἰρήνη.Let us stand well; let us stand with fear; let us attend, that we may offer the Holy Oblation in peace.
PeopleΕἰρηνικὴ ἡ ἀγάπη μας, δοξαστικὴ ἡ θυσία μας.A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.
PriestἩ χάρη τοῦ Κυρίου μας Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατέρα, καὶ ἡ ἑνότητα τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἂς εἶναι μὲ ὅλους σας.The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
PeopleΚαὶ μὲ τὸ πνεῦμα σου.And with thy spirit.
PriestἊς ὑψώσουμε πρὸς τὸ Θεὸ τὶς καρδιές μας.Let us lift up our hearts.
PeopleἜχομε τὴν καρδιά μας στραμμένη στὸ Θεό.We lift them up unto the Lord.
PriestἊς εὐχαριστήσουμε τὸν Κύριο.Let us give thanks unto the Lord.
PeopleἈξίζει καὶ πρέπει.It is meet and right.
(to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and undivided.)

Lutheran forms

In Lutheran liturgies, the preface has many different translations that can be used in the Divine Service. The following is a common form: [4]

Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Roman Catholic form

In the Roman Rite, the preface opens with the following:

Priest: Dominus vobiscum.
People: Et cum spiritu tuo.
Priest: Sursum corda.
People: Habemus ad Dominum.
Priest: Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
People: Dignum et justum est.

The current English translation has:

Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
People: It is right and just.

There are a wide variety of proper prefaces for every mass, depending on the missal used. As an example, a preface appointed for masses in the first Sunday in Advent is: [5]

Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere: Domine, sancte Pater, omnipotens aeterne Deus: per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Qui, primo adventu in humilitate carnis assumptae, dispositionis antiquae munus implevit, nobisque salutis perpetuae tramitem reseravit: ut, cum secundo venerit in suae gloria maiestatis, manifesto demum munere capiamus, quod vigilantes nunc audemus exspectare promissum.
Et ideo cum Angelis et Archangelis, cum Thronis et Dominationibus, cumque omni militia caelestis exercitus, hymnum gloriae tuae canimus, sine fine dicentes:

In English:

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
For he assumed at his first coming the lowliness of human flesh, and so fulfilled the design you formed long ago, and opened for us the way to eternal salvation, that, when he comes again in glory and majesty and all is at last made manifest, we who watch for that day may inherit the great promise in which now we dare to hope.
And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tridentine Mass</span> Form of liturgy in the Roman Rite

The Tridentine Mass, also known as the Traditional Latin Mass or the Traditional Rite, is the liturgy in the Roman Missal of the Catholic Church codified in 1570 and published thereafter with amendments up to 1962. Celebrated almost exclusively in Ecclesiastical Latin, it was the most widely used Eucharistic liturgy in the world from its issuance in 1570 until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Divine Liturgy</span> Rite practiced in Eastern Christian traditions

Divine Liturgy or Holy Liturgy is the usual name used in most Eastern Christian rites for the Eucharistic service.

The Good Friday prayer for the Jews is an annual prayer in some Christian liturgies. It is one of several petitions, known in the Catholic Church as the Solemn Intercessions and in the Episcopal Church as the Solemn Collects, that are made in the Good Friday service for various classes and stations of peoples: for the Church; for the pope; for bishops, priests and deacons; for the faithful; for catechumens; for other Christians; for the Jews; for others who do not believe in Christ; for those who do not believe in God; for those in public office; and for those in special need. These prayers are ancient, predating the eighth century at least, as they are found in the Gelasian Sacramentary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epiclesis</span> Christian Eucharistic prayer

The epiclesis refers to the invocation of one or several gods. In ancient Greek religion, the epiclesis was the epithet used as the surname given to a deity in religious contexts. The term was borrowed into the Christian tradition, where it designates the part of the Anaphora by which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit upon the Eucharistic bread and wine in some Christian churches. In most Eastern Christian traditions, the Epiclesis comes after the Anamnesis ; in the Western Rite it usually precedes. In the historic practice of the Western Christian Churches, the consecration is effected at the Words of Institution though during the rise of the Liturgical Movement, many denominations introduced an explicit epiclesis in their liturgies.

<i>Sanctus</i> Hymn in Christian liturgy

The Sanctus is a hymn in Christian liturgy. It may also be called the epinikios hymnos when referring to the Greek rendition and parts of it are sometimes called "Benedictus". Tersanctus is another, rarer name for the Sanctus. The same name is sometimes used for the Trisagion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absolution</span> Traditional theological term for the forgiveness experienced by Penance

Absolution is a theological term for the forgiveness imparted by ordained Christian priests and experienced by Christian penitents. It is a universal feature of the historic churches of Christendom, although the theology and the practice of absolution vary between Christian denominations.

<i>Exsultet</i> Hymn of praise sung in the Christian liturgies of Easter

The Exsultet, also known as the Easter Proclamation, is a lengthy sung proclamation delivered before the paschal candle, ideally by a deacon, during the Easter Vigil in the Roman Rite of Mass. In the absence of a deacon, it may be sung by a priest or by a cantor. It is sung after a procession with the paschal candle before the beginning of the Liturgy of the Word. It is also used in Anglican and various Lutheran churches, as well as other Western Christian denominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaphora (liturgy)</span> Part of Eucharistic liturgy

The Anaphora is the most solemn part of the Eucharistic liturgies, such as the Divine Liturgy or the Mass, which serves as a thanksgiving prayer by virtue of which the offerings of bread and wine are consecrated as the body and blood of Christ. This is the usual name for this part of the Liturgy in Greek-speaking Eastern Christianity. In the Eastern Syriac tradition Qudaša is its equivalent. The corresponding part in western Christian liturgy is nowadays most often called the Eucharistic Prayer. The Roman Rite from the 4th century until after Vatican II had a single such prayer, called the Canon of the Mass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Entrance (liturgical)</span>

In Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches, an entrance is a procession during which the clergy enter into the sanctuary through the Holy Doors. The origin of these entrances goes back to the early church, when the liturgical books and sacred vessels were kept in special storage rooms for safe keeping and the procession was necessary to bring these objects into the church when needed. Over the centuries, these processions have grown more elaborate, and nowadays are accompanied by incense, candles and liturgical fans. In the liturgical theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the angels are believed to enter with the clergy into the sanctuary, as evidenced by the prayers which accompany the various entrances.

Dóminus vobíscum is an ancient salutation and blessing traditionally used by the clergy in the Masses of the Catholic Church and other liturgies, as well as liturgies of other Western Christian denominations, such as Lutheranism, Anglicanism and Methodism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiochene Rite</span> Family of liturgies originally used in the Patriarchate of Antioch

Antiochene Rite also known as Antiochian Rite refers to the family of liturgies originally used by the patriarch of Antioch.

The Sursum corda is the opening dialogue to the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer or Anaphora in Christian liturgies, dating back at least to the third century and the Anaphora of the Apostolic Tradition. The dialogue is recorded in the earliest liturgies of the Catholic Church in the west and east, and is found in all ancient rites.

The Divine Service is a title given to the Eucharistic liturgy as used in the various Lutheran churches. It has its roots in the Pre-Tridentine Mass as revised by Martin Luther in his Formula missae of 1523 and his Deutsche Messe of 1526. It was further developed through the Kirchenordnungen of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that followed in Luther's tradition.

In Christian liturgical worship, Preces, also known in Anglican prayer as the Suffrages or Responses, are short petitions said or sung as versicles and responses by the officiant and congregation respectively. Versicle-and-response is one of the oldest forms of prayer in Christianity, with its roots in Hebrew prayer during the time of the Temple in Jerusalem. In many prayer books the versicles and responses comprising the Preces are denoted by special glyphs:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elevation (liturgy)</span> Christian liturgical practice

In Eastern and Western Christian liturgical practice, the elevation is a ritual raising of the consecrated Sacred Body and Blood of Christ during the celebration of the Eucharist. The term is applied especially to that by which, in the Catholic Roman Rite of Mass, the Sacred Body of Christ (Host) and the chalice containing the Most Precious Blood of Christ are each lifted up and shown to the congregation immediately after each is consecrated. The term may also refer to a musical work played or sung at that time.

The Anaphora of the Apostolic Tradition, also known as the Anaphora of Hippolytus, is an ancient Christian Anaphora which is found in chapter four of the Apostolic Tradition. It should not be confused with the Syriac Orthodox Anaphora of the Twelve Apostles, which is similar, and may be one of several liturgies derived from this Anaphora, yet is considerably longer and more ornate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vesting prayers</span>

Vesting prayers are prayers which are spoken while a cleric puts on vestments as part of a liturgy, in both the Eastern and Western churches. They feature as part of the liturgy in question itself, and take place either before or after a liturgical procession or entrance to the sanctuary, as depends on the particular liturgical rite or use which is being observed.

The General Intercessions or Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful are a series of prayers which form part of the liturgy in the Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist and other Western Liturgical Churches.

In Lutheranism, the Eucharist refers to the liturgical commemoration of the Last Supper. Lutherans believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, affirming the doctrine of sacramental union, "in which the body and blood of Christ are truly and substantially present, offered, and received with the bread and wine."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal blessing</span>

The episcopal or pontifical blessing is a blessing imparted by a bishop, especially if using a formula given in official liturgical books.

References

  1. Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Preface"  . Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  2. The Order for the Administration of The Lord's Supper or Holy Communion, The Book of Common Prayer, 1662, Cambridge.
  3. Saint John Chrysostom. "The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom". liturgics. Translated by The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
  4. Lutheran Service Book, 2006 (Concordia Publishing House)
  5. https://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Catholic/roman_missal/prefaces.htm