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TheHoly Qurbana (Syriac:ܩܘܼܪܒܵܢܵܐ ܩܲܕܝܼܫܵܐ,Qurbānā Qaddišā inEastern Syriac orQurbānā Qandišā in the Indian variant of Eastern Syriac, the "Holy Offering" or "Holy Sacrifice" in English), refers to theEucharisticliturgy as celebrated inSyriac Christianity and theliturgical books containing the rubrics for its celebration. Churches that celebrate this liturgy include various descendants of theChurch of the East. East Syriac Christianity consists of anEdessanliturgical rite called theEast Syriac Rite (also known as the Edessan Rite, Assyrian Rite, Babylonian Rite, Chaldean Rite or Persian Rite). The majoranaphora of the East Syriac tradition is theHoly Qurbana of Saints Addai and Mari; Addai being a disciple ofThomas the Apostle and Mari being Addai's disciple. These churches are primarily based in theMiddle East andIndia, withdiasporic communities settled in thewestern world.
The East Syriac Rite is employed by theAssyrian Church of the East based inIraq (including its archdiocese theChaldean Syrian Church of India) and theAncient Church of the East based in Iraq. Additionally, the rite is employed by theSyro-Malabar Church based in India and theChaldean Catholic Church based in Iraq, both of which aresui iurisEastern Catholic Churches.
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The East Syriac wordQurbana is derived from theSyriac wordqurbānā (ܩܘܪܒܢܐ), which, along with its meaning of Eucharist, may also mean offering, sacrifice, or gift. It is from the root Q-R-B, related to approaching. It is a cognate withHebrew itself a Syriac wordקרבןqorbān andArabicقربانqurbān.
When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, and sacrifices were offered, "qorban" was a technical Hebrew term for some of the offerings that were brought there. It comes from a Hebrew root, "qarab", meaning "to draw close or 'near'". A requiredkorban was offered morning and evening daily and on holidays (at certain times, additionalkorbanot were offered), in addition to which individuals could bring an optional personal Korban.
The Holy Qurbana is referred to as "complete" worship, since it is performed for the benefit of all members of the Church. The othersacraments are celebrated for individual members. Thus, the Holy Qurbana is believed to be the sacrament that completes all the others. Hence it is called the "sacrament of perfection" or the "queen of sacraments".
The East Syriac or Chaldean rite was associated with the historicalChurch of the East, centered in thePersian capital ofSeleucia-Ctesiphon. Today theLiturgy of Mar Addai and Mari is used in theAncient Church of the East, theAssyrian Church of the East, theChaldean Catholic Church, as well as theSyro-Malabar Church and theChaldean Syrian Church based inKerala,India.
TheLiturgy of Saints Addai and Mari belongs to theEdessan Rite (East Syriac), theanaphora orEucharistic Prayer that is part of this liturgy, possibly dating back to 3rd-centuryEdessa,[1] and is the oldest in Christianity. This liturgy is traditionally attributed toSaint Addai (disciple ofSaint Thomas the Apostle) andSaint Mari (a disciple of Saint Addai). In the form given in the oldest manuscripts, all of theHigh Middle Ages, this anaphora does not include theWords of Institution, a matter that raised ecumenical concerns.
TheQudasha orEucharistic Prayer that is part of the East Syriac Rite is of particular interest, being one of the oldest in Christianity, possibly dating back to 3rd-centuryEdessa,[1] even if the outline of the current form can only be traced as far back as the time of the PatriarchIshoyahb III in the 7th century. In the form given in the oldest manuscripts, this anaphora does not include theWords of Institution. The Eastern Catholic churches employing this liturgy have the Words of Institution included.
TheQudasha of Theodore of Mopsuestia is one of threeEucharisticliturgies used in theEast Syriac Rite. It is currently employed byAssyrian Church of the East,Ancient Church of the East, theSyro-Malabar Church and to a lesser extend in theChaldean Catholic Church, which are descendants of the erstwhileChurch of the East. It is attributed toTheodore of Mopsuestia and is considered to be his genuine work. It is used fromAdvent until theSunday of the Hossanas.[2]
TheQudasha of Nestorius is one of theEucharisticliturgies used by the erstwhileChurch of the East. It is currently employed in the Holy Qurbana of theChaldean Catholic Church,Assyrian Church of the East,Ancient Church of the East, and theSyro-Malabar Church, which are descendants of the Church of the East. It is a part of theEast Syriac Rite, formally attributed toNestorius,Patriarch of Constantinople and is traditionally celebrated for the Feast of theEpiphany, Commemoration ofSt. John the Baptist, Commemoration of the Greek Teachers:Mar Diodore,Mar Theodore the interpreter and Mar Nestorius, and also for the Wednesday liturgy of theRogation of the Ninevites, and theFeast of the Passover (Holy Thursday).[2]
Traditionally the East Syriac Churches useleavened bread for theEucharist, like most churches ofEastern Christianity, but they are the only Churches to include the additional ingredient of Holy Malka (or Holy Leaven). Holy Leaven is a powder added tosacramental bread before it is baked.[3] Despite the name, Holy Leaven does not actually contain aleavening agent.[3] Instead,hmira, fermented dough from previously used sacramental bread, is added and acts as leaven.[4]What the Holy Leaven does contain is remainder from the original Holy Leaven, renewed annually by mixing it with common ingredients.[3]
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