The Kyrie

During penitential times, such as the season of Lent, we often pray the Kyrie in place of a hymn of praise (Gloria). The Kyrie is a prayer not just for ourselves, but for the church and the whole world.  It is more than just a plea for God’s mercy, it is a call for God’s favor and an expression of praise to a merciful God who loves and cares for all things. 

The Greek words Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison, Kyrie Eleison are translated “Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.”  Often the prayer is repeated three times, and for some occasions nine times, as a way to symbolize the Trinity (3 and 9 being Trinitarian numbers).

During the fourth century, the Jerusalem church introduced a litany of intercession into the first half of the Holy Communion liturgy, petitioning God’s intervention in the affairs of the Church and the world.  To each petition, offered by the deacon, the congregation responded: Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy).  By the fifth century, this “Deacon’s Litany” had spread throughout the church and continued to maintain a litany form until the eighth century, when the litany form disappeared and only the responses survived (Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie…).  In some churches, recent liturgical revisions have restored the Kyrie to its original litany form and have assigned its bids to an assisting minister or cantor to intone.  

The setting of the Kyrie we sing at our 10:30 Eucharist this Lent is based in the ancient plainchant melodies of the church. These melodies, whether simple or elaborate, are hauntingly beautiful and serve to bring forth the text that they carry in a heartfelt and prayerful way. Below are two examples of different plainsong settings of the Kyrie for your listening.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Dr. Ben Keseley