Anaphora of Saint Gregory

TheLiturgy of Saint Gregory the Theologian(orAnaphora of Saint Gregory,Coptic:Ϯⲁ̀ⲛⲁⲫⲟⲣⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲁ̀ⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲅⲣⲉⲅⲟⲣⲓⲟⲥ,romanized:Ti-anaphora ente pi-agios Gregorios) is one of the threeAnaphorasretained by theCoptic Church.^[1]The text is named after SaintGregory of Nazianzus,one of theCappadocian Fathers.

TheanaphoraorEucharistic Prayerthat is part of this liturgy is distinct as it is entirely addressed toChristand not to theFatheras anaphoras usually are.^[2]

Use[edit]

This liturgy can be used at present by theCoptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria,as well as by theCoptic Catholic Church,in the solemnities of theCoptic calendar.This text doesn't cover the wholeDivine Liturgy,but it extends only from the pre-anaphorical rites to theFraction,so including the anaphora in the strict sense of the word. Along with this section the Liturgy of Saint Gregory includes also other additional prayers which can be used in place of the ones of the Coptic Liturgy of Saint Basil.^[3]

History[edit]

This liturgical text derives from theWest Syriac Rite,being imported inEgyptafter the 6th-century from Syriac monks who settled inWadi El Natrun.^[4]The authorship of the core of this anaphora byGregory of Nazianzushimself cannot be excluded.^[1]The text however was adapted to the Egyptian use, and it was one of the three anaphoras which use was permitted by the canons ofPatriarch Gabriel IIin the 12th century.^[5]

The oldest manuscripts of this liturgy date theHigh Middle Ages:the oldest is a 10th-centurySahidicincomplete manuscripts from theeuchologionof theWhite Monastery,while the earlierBohairictexts are 12th or 13th manuscripts from theMonastery of Saint Macarius.^[4]Also aByzantine Greekrecension exists.

Structure of the anaphora[edit]

The Anaphora of Saint Gregory the Theologian follows theAntiochene(or"West Syriac") structure, which can be so summarized:

Pre-anaphoric rites:
- the Prayer of the Veil
- the Prayer of Reconciliation
Anaphora:
- theOpening Dialogue
- thePreface,glorifying Christ and giving thanks to him for the creation.
- thePre-Sanctus,introducing the Sanctus, first asking to unite with theheavenly Angelicliturgy, and later glorifying Christ with the choir of angels,
- theSanctus,conducted with theBenedictus,
- thePost-Sanctus,recalling the whole history ofSalvation,from theOriginal Sinto theIncarnation,Passion,Resurrectionof Christ,
- theOblation,offering to the Lord theEucharisticbread and wine,
- Institution narrative,
- theAnamnesis,referring to thePassion,ResurrectionandSecond Comingof Christ,
- theEpiclesis,asking Christ to convert the Eucharistic bread and wine with his voice, and also to send theHoly Spiriton them in order to purify them and to make them theBodyandBlood of Christ,
- theIntercessions,praying for the Church, for the livings (including thediptychsfor current pope, bishop and other members of the Church),
theFraction,
- introduction
- the prayer of submission to the Son
- the absolution of the Son

Notes[edit]

^^a ^bSpinks, Bryan (2010). "Oriental Orthodox Liturgical Traditions". In Parry, Ken (ed.).The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity.Malden, Mass: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 316–362.ISBN 9781444333619.
^Varghese, Baby (2004).West Syrian liturgical theology.Ashgate Publishing. pp. 62–63.ISBN 978-0-7546-0619-2.
^Cody, Aelred (1991)."Anaphora of Saint Gregory".The Coptic encyclopedia.Vol. 1. Macmillan. 124a-125a.ISBN 002897025X.
^^a ^bGabra, Gawdat (2009).The A to Z of the Coptic Church.Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press. p. 29.ISBN 9780810868946.
^Chaillot, Christine (2006). "The Ancient Oriental Churches". In Wainwright, Geoffrey (ed.).The Oxford history of Christian worship.Oxford New York: Oxford University Press. p. 139.ISBN 9780195138863.

External links[edit]

Online text of the Liturgy of St. Gregory as used at present by the Coptic Church Archived2012-05-24 at theWayback Machine
Newman, Nicholas (2019).The Liturgy of Saint Gregory the Theologian: Critical Text with Translation and Commentary.Belleville, Illinois: Saint Dominic's Media. p. 372.ISBN 978-1-7321784-6-5.

[Black-1] Spinks, Bryan (2010). "Oriental Orthodox Liturgical Traditions". In Parry, Ken (ed.).The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity.Malden, Mass: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 316–362.ISBN 9781444333619.

[Varghese-2] Varghese, Baby (2004).West Syrian liturgical theology.Ashgate Publishing. pp. 62–63.ISBN 978-0-7546-0619-2.

[CO-3] Cody, Aelred (1991)."Anaphora of Saint Gregory".The Coptic encyclopedia.Vol. 1. Macmillan. 124a-125a.ISBN 002897025X.

[AtoZ-4] Gabra, Gawdat (2009).The A to Z of the Coptic Church.Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press. p. 29.ISBN 9780810868946.

[OHCW-5] Chaillot, Christine (2006). "The Ancient Oriental Churches". In Wainwright, Geoffrey (ed.).The Oxford history of Christian worship.Oxford New York: Oxford University Press. p. 139.ISBN 9780195138863.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Oriental Orthodoxy
Eastern Christian communionofautocephalous churchesfromArmenia,Egypt,Eritrea,Ethiopia,Sudanand parts of theMiddle East,andIndia
Autocephalous churches	Coptic Orthodox Church Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Armenian Apostolic Church Holy See of Cilicia Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church Syriac Orthodox Church Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
Autonomous churches	Armenian Apostolic: Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem Syriac Orthodox: Malankara Jacobite Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church: Brahmavar (Goan) Orthodox Church
Independent churches	British Isles Malabar Independent Syrian Church Syncretic Oriential Catholic Churches:Communion of Western Orthodox Churches Celtic Orthodox Church
Liturgy	Alexandrian Rite Anaphora of Saint Gregory Armenian Rite West Syriac Rite Liturgy of Saint James Liturgy of Saint Basil Liturgy of Saint Cyril Malankara Rite