Monday 18 June 2007

Why the Eastern Rites take longer than the Western

Latin rite:
Priest: Sursum corda.
Response: Habemus ad Dominum.

Syrian rites:
Priest: Up in the sublime heights, in the fearful and glorious region, where the Cherubim cease not to agitate their wings, and there is no end to the hymns and the sweet sounds of the sanctification of the Seraphim, there be your minds.
Response: To Thee, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, the exceeding glorious King.
(Tr. J.M.Neale)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gosh, that is quite unacceptable, how could the Syrian Conferernce of Bishops allow Rome to impose that on the faithful. There is no possibility that the ordinary member of the faithful in the pew would understand all those rather complex theological ideas

Cathy said...

Wow, that Syrian rite is beautiful.
Thanks!

Anon,
Heh heh.
;)