Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/474

 SYRIAN

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SYRIAN

Greek were copied in Syriac by those who said their prayers in the national tongue. This point is impor- tant because the Syriac Liturgy (in its fundamental form) already contains all the changes brought tu Antioch from Jerusalem. It is not the older pure Antiochene Rite, but the later Rite of Jerusalem-Anti- och. I'he Syriac Liturgy in its Intercession, like the Greek "St. James", prays first not for the Church 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 chief proof that this had supplanted the older Antiochene Use before the schism 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 Anti- och, sixth century). They give us valuable informa- tion about local forms of the Rite of Antioch-Jerusa- lem. The Jacobite sect kept a version of this rite which is obviously a local variant. Its scheme and most of its prayers correspond to those of the Greek St. James; but it has ampUfications and omissions, such as we find in all local forms of early rites. It seems too that the Jacobites after the schism made some modifications. We know this for certain in one point (the Trisagion). The first Jacobite writer on their rite is James of Edessa (d. 70S), who wrote a letter to a priest Thomas comparing the Syrian Liturgy with that of Egypt. This letter is an ex- ceedingly valuable and really critical discussion of the rite. A number of later Jacobite writers followed James of Edessa. On the whole this sect produced the first scientific students of hturgy. Benjamin of Edessa (period unknown), Lazarus bar Sabhetha of Bagdad (ninth century), Moses bar Kephas of Mosul (d. 903), Dionysius bar Saliblii of Amida (d. 1171) wrote valuable commentaries on the Jacobite Rite. In the eighth and ninth centuries a controversy con- cerning the prayer at the Fraction produced much liturgical literature. The chronicle of their Patri- arch Michael the Great (d. 1199) discusses the ques- tion 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 of Edessa. The pro-anaphoral part of this is the Ordo communis to which the other later Anaphoras are joined. It is printed in Latin by Renaudot (II, 1-44) and in English by Brightman (pp. 69-110). This follows the Greek St. James (see Antiochene Liturgy) with these differences. All the vesting prayer and preparation of the offering (Proskomide) are considerably expanded, and the prayers differ. This part of the Liturgy is always most subject to modification; it began as private prayer only. The Monogenes comes later; the litany before the lessons is missing; the incensing is expanded into a more elaborate rite. The Trisagion comes after the lessons from the Old 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), Monophysite Patriarch of Antioch (d. 488), was believed to imply Monophysi.sm and caused much controversy during those times, eventually becoming a kind of watchword to the Jacobites (see Zacharias Rhetor, "Hist, eccl.", P. G., LXXXV, llt>.5). The litany between the lessons is represented by the word Kurillison said thrice. There is no chant at the Great Entrance (a Byzantine addition in the Greek Rite). The long Offertory prayers of the Greek Rite do not occur. The Epiklesis and Intercession are much the same as in Greek. The Lord's Prayer follows the Fraction. At the Communion-litany the answer is Halleluiah instead of Kyrie eleison.

In this Syriac lyiturgy many Greek forms remain: Stomen kalos, Kurillison, Sophia, Proschomen, etc.

Renaudot gives also a second form of the Ordo com- munis (II, 12-28) with many variants. To the Ordo comnmnis the Jacobites have added a very great number of alternative Anaphoras, many of which have not yet been published. These Anaphoras are ascribed to all manner of people; they were composed at very different periods. One explanation of their attribution to various saints is that they were origi- nally used on their feasts. Renaudot translated and pubUshed thirty-nine of these. After that of St. James follows (in his work) a shortened form of the same. This is the one commonly used to-day. Then: (3) Liturgy of St. Xystus, which is placed first in the Maronite books; (4) of St. Peter; (5) another of St. Peter; (6) of St. John; (7) of the Tweive Apos- tles; (8) of St. Mark; (9) of St. Clement of Rome; (10) of St. Dionvsius; (11) of St. Ignatius; (12) of St. Julius of Rome; (13) of St. Eustathius; (14) of St. John Chrj'sostom; (15) of St. John Chrysostom (from Chaldaean sources); (16) of St. Maruta; (17) of St. Cyril; (18) of Dioscor; (19) of Philo.xenus of Hierapolis; (20) a second Liturgy also ascribed to him; (21) of Serverus of Antioch; (22) of James Bara- dffius; (23) of Matthew the Shepherd; (24) of St. James of Botnan and Serug; (25) of James of Edessa, the Interpreter; (26) of Thomas of Heraclea; (27) of Moses bar Kephas; (28) of Philoxenus of Bagdad; (29) of the Doctors, arranged by John the Great, Patriarch; (30) of John of Basora; (31) of Michael of Antioch; (32) of Dionysius Bar-Sahbhi; (33) of Greg- ory Bar-Hebra;us; (34) of St. John the Patriarch, called Acoemetus (AKoltirjTos); (35) of St. Dioscor of Kardu; (36) John, Patriarch of Antioch; (37) of Igna- tius of Antioch (Joseph Ibn Wahib); (39) of St. Basil (another version, by Masius).

Brightman (pp. Iviii-lix) mentions sixty-four Liturgies as known, at least by name. Notes of this bewildering number of Anaphoras will be found after each in Renaudot. In most cases all he can say is that he knows nothing of the real author; often the names affixed are otherwise unknown. Many Ana- phoras are obviously quite late, inflated with long prayers and rhetorical expressions, many contain Monophysite ideas, some are insufficient at the con- secration so as to be invalid. Baumstark (Die Messe im Morgenland, 44—46) thinks the Anaphora 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 of Ignatius of Antioch (Joseph Ibn Wahib; d. 1304) is the latest. Most of these Anaphoras have now fallen into disuse. The Jacobite cele- brant generally uses the shortened form of St. James. There is an ancient Armenian version (shortened) of the Syriac St. James. The Ijiturgy is said in Syriac with (since the fifteenth century) many Arabic sub- stitutions in the lessons and proanaphoral prayers. The Lectionary and Diaconicum have not been published and are hardly known. The vestments correspond almost exactly to those of the Orthodox, except that the bishop wears a latinized mitre. The Calendar has few feasts. It follows in its main lines the old order of Antioch, observed also by the Nesto- rians, which is the basis of the Byzantine Calendar. Feasts are divided into three classes of dignity. Wednesday and Friday are fast-days. There are also the four great fasts, as with the Orthodox. The Divine Office consists of Vespers, Compline. Noc- turns. Lauds. Terce, Sext. and None, or rather of hours that correspond to these among Latins. Ves- pers always belongs to the following day. The great part of this office (known in the West chiefly by the Uniat books and now by Dr. Baumstark's "Fest- brevier u. Kirchenjahr der s>Tischen Jakobiten") consists of long poems composed for the purpose, like the Byzantine odes. Baptism is performed by immersion; the priest confirms at once with chrism