 |
|
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
The rite used by the Jacobitesect inSyria and by theCatholic Syrians is in its origin simply the old rite of Antioch in the Syriac language. Into this framework the Jacobites have fitted a great number of otherAnaphoras, so that now their Liturgy has more variant forms than any other. The oldest form of the Antiochene Rite that weknow is in Greek (seeANTIOCHENE LITURGY). It was apparently composed in that language. The many Greek terms that remain in theSyriac form show that this is derived from Greek. The version must have been made very early, evidently before theMonophysiteschism, before the influence of Constantinople and Byzantine infiltrations had begun. Nodoubt as soon asChristian communities arose in the country parts ofSyria theprayers which in the cities (Antioch,Jerusalem, etc.) were said in Greek, were, as a matter of course, translated into the peasants' language (Syriac) for their use. The "Peregrinatio Silviae" describes the services atJerusalem as being Greek; but the lessons, first read in Greek, are then translated into Syriacpropter populum. As long as all WesternSyria was one communion, the countrydioceses followed the rite of the patriarch atAntioch, only changing the language. Modifications adopted at Antioch in Greek were copied in Syriac by those who said theirprayers in the national tongue. This point is important because the Syriac Liturgy (in its fundamental form) already contains all the changes brought to Antioch fromJerusalem. It is not the older pure Antiochene Rite, but the later Rite of Jerusalem-Antioch. "St. James",prays first not for theChurch of Antioch, but "for the holy Sion, the mother of all churches" (Brightman, pp. 89-90). The fact that the Jacobites as well as the Orthodox have the Jerusalem-Antiochene Liturgy is the chiefproof that this had supplanted the older Antiochene use before theschism of the fifth century.
Our first Syriac documents come from about the end of the fifth century ("Testamentum Domini," ed. by Ignatius Rahmani II, Life of Severus of Antioch, sixth century). They give us valuable information about local forms of the Rite of Antioch-Jerusalem. The Jacobitesect kept a version of this rite which is obviously a local variant. Its scheme and most of itsprayers correspond to those of the Greek St. James; but it has amplifications and omissions, such as we find in all local forms of early rites. It seems too that the Jacobites after theschism made some modifications. Weknow this for certain in one point (the Trisagion). The first Jacobite writer on their rite isJames of Edessa (d. 708), who wrote a letter to apriest Thomas comparing the Syrian Liturgy with that ofEgypt. This letter is an exceedingly valuable and really critical discussion of the rite. A number of later Jacobite writers followedJames of Edessa. On the whole thissect produced the first scientific students of liturgy. Benjamin ofEdessa (period unknown), Lazarus bar Sabhetha ofBagdad (ninth century), Moses bar Kephas of Mosul (d. 903), Dionysuis bar Salibhi ofAmida (d. 1171) wrote valuable commentaries on the Jacobite Rite. In the eighth and ninth centuries a controversy concerning theprayer at the Fraction produced muchliturgical literature. The chronicle of their Patriarch Michael the Great (d. 1199) discusses the question and supplies valuable contemporary documents.
The oldest Jacobite Liturgy extant is the one ascribed (as in its Greek form) to St. James. It is in the dialect ofEdessa. The pro-anaphoral part of this is theOrdo communis to which the other laterAnaphoras are joined. It is printed in Latin byRenaudot (II, 1-44) and in English by Brightman (pp. 69-110). This follows the Greek St. James (seeANTIOCHENE LITURGY) with these differences. All the vestingprayer and preparation of the offering (Proskomide) are considerably expanded, and theprayers differ. This part of the Liturgy is most subject to modification; it began as privateprayer only. TheMonogenes comes later; thelitany before the lessons is missing; theincensing is expanded into a more elaborate rite. TheTrisagion comes after the lessons from theOld Testament; it contains the addition: "who wast crucified for us". This is the most famous characteristic of the Jacobite Rite. The clause was added by Peter the Dyer (Fullo),MonophysitePatriarch ofAntioch (d. 488), was believed to imply Monophysism and caused much controversy during these times, eventually becoming a kind of watchword to the Jacobites (see Zacharias Rhetor, "Hist. eccl.", PG 85, 1165). Thelitany between the lessons is represented by the wordKurillison said thrice. There is no chant at the Great Entrance (a Byzantine addition in theGreek Rite). The longOffertoryprayers of theGreek Rite do not occur. TheEpiklesis and Intercession are much the same as in Greek. TheLord's Prayer follows the Fraction. At the Communion-litany the answer isHalleluiah instead ofKyrie eleison.
In this Syriac Liturgy many Greek forms remain:Stomen kalos, Kurillison, Sophia, Proschomen, etc.Renaudot gives also a second form of theOrdo communis (II, 12-28) with many variants. To theOrdo communis the Jacobites have added a very great number of alternativeAnaphoras, many of which have not been published. TheseAnaphoras are ascribed to all manner of people; they were composed at very different periods. One explanation of their attribution to varioussaints is that they were originally used on their feasts.
Brightman (pp. lviii-lix) mentions sixty-four Liturgies as known, at least by name. Notes of this bewildering number ofAnaphoras will be found after each inRenaudot. In most cases all he can say is that he knows nothing of the real author; often the names affixed are otherwise unknown. ManyAnaphoras are obviously quite late, inflated with longprayers and rhetorical, expressions, many containMonophysiteideas, some are insufficient at theconsecration so as to be invalid. Baumstark (Die Messe im Morgenland, 44-46) thinks theAnaphora of St. Ignatius most important, as containing parts of the old pure Antiochene Rite. He considers that many attributions to later Jacobite authors may be correct, that the Liturgy ofIgnatius of Antioch (Joseph Ibn Wahib; d. 1304) is the latest. Most of theseAnaphoras have now fallen into disuse. The Jacobite celebrant generally uses the shortened form of St. James. There is anArmenian version (shortened) of the Syriac St. James. The Liturgy is said in Syriac with (since the fifteenth century) many Arabic substitutions in the lessons and proanaphoralprayers. The Lectionary and Diaconicum have not been published and are badly known. The vestments correspond almost exactly to those of the Orthodox, except that thebishop wears a latinizedmitre. The Calendar has few feasts. It follows in its main lines the older of Antioch, observed also by theNestorians, which is the basis of the Byzantine Calendar. Feasts are divided into three classes of dignity. Wednesday and Friday are fast-days. TheDivine Office consists ofVespers,Compline,Nocturns,Lauds,Terce, Sext, and None, or rather of hours that correspond to these among Latins.Vespers always belongs to the following day. The great part of this consists of long poems composed for the purpose, like the Byzantine odes. Baptism is performed by immersion; thepriest confirms at once withchrism blessed by the patriarch. Confession is not much used; it has fallen into the same decay as in mostEastern Churches. Communion is administered under both kinds; the sick are anointed with oil blessed by apriest — the ideal is to have sevenpriests to administer it. The orders arebishop,priest,deacon,subdeacon,lector, and singer. There are manychorepiscopi, notordainedbishop. It will be seen, then, that one little Jacobite Church has followed much the same line of development in its rites as its powerful Orthodox neighbour.
The SyrianCatholics use the same rite as the Jacobites. But (as is the case with most Eastern RiteCatholic Churches) it is better organized with them. There is not much that can be called Romanizing in their books; but they have the advantage of well-arranged, well-edited, and well-printed books. All the great students of the West-Syrian Rite (the Assemani,Renaudot, etc.) have beenCatholic. Theirknowledge and the higher Western standard of scholarship in general are advantages of which the SyrianCatholics rather than the Jacobites profit. Of the manifold SyrianAnaphoras theCatholics use seven only — those of St. James, St.John, St. Peter,St. Chrysostom,St. Xystus, St. Mathew, and St. Basil. That ofSt. Xystus is attached to theOrdo communis in their official book; that of St. John is said on the chief feasts. The lessons only are in Arabic. It was inevitable that the Syrian Liturgies, coming fromMonophysite sources, should be examined atRome before they are allowed to SyrianCatholics. But the revisers made very few changes. Out of the mass ofAnaphoras they chose the oldest and purest, leaving out the long series of later ones that were unorthodox, or even invalid. In the seven kept for SyrianCatholic use what alterations have been made chiefly the omission of redundantprayers, simplification of confused parts in which the Diaconicum and the Euchologion had become mixed together. The only important correction is the omission of the fatal clause: "Who was crucified for us" in the Trisagion. There is no suspicion of modifying in the direction of theRoman Rite. The other books of theCatholics — the Diaconicum,officebook, and ritual — are edited atRome,Beirut, and the Patriarchal press Sharfé; they are considerably the most accessible, the best-arranged books in which to study this rite.
The West-Syrian Rite has also been used at intervals by sections of the (schismatical) Malabar Church. Namely, as the MalabarChristians at various times made approaches to the Jacobite Patriarch or receivedbishops from him, so did they at such times use his Liturgy. Most of Malabar has now returned to theNestorian communion; but there are still Jacobite communities using this rite among them.
TheMaronite Rite is merely aRomanized adaptation of that of the West Syrians.
APA citation.Fortescue, A.(1912).West Syrian Rite. InThe Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14417a.htm
MLA citation.Fortescue, Adrian."West Syrian Rite."The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 14.New York: Robert Appleton Company,1912.<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14417a.htm>.
Transcription.This article was transcribed for New Advent by Joseph P. Thomas.In memory of Father Mathew Alakulam.
Ecclesiastical approbation.Nihil Obstat. July 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmasterat newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.