after the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. Maundy Thursday is the "Passover," Good Friday is "Friday of Suffering" (aliturgical), Holy Saturday "the Great Sabbath" or "Sabbath of Light."[1]
We have already noted the order of the Divine Office, now practically morning and evening prayer (p. 142). It consists of psalms, collects, anthems, and many special compositions, hymns in rhythmical prose like the Byzantine τροπάρια. The psalter is divided into twenty portions called hulâle ("praises") like καθίσματα. The Lord's Prayer and psalms are often farced. All the services are said in classical Syriac, of which the common people understand perhaps as much as modern Greeks or Russians do of their services. All is sung in the strange enharmonic cadences which Eastern people know by heart. A careful and interesting description of the office will be found in Maclean and Browne: The Catholicos of the East.[2] This book is so easily accessible that it does not seem worth while to repeat the account here. Instead, as a specimen of Nestorian prayer, the Lâk mârâ ("Thee, O Lord") may serve; it is a short responsory occurring constantly in all their services: "Thee, Lord of all, we confess; and thee, Jesus Christ, we glorify; for thou art the quickener of our bodies, and thou art the saviour of our souls.*I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of the Lord.*Thee, O Lord, etc.*Glory be to the Father, etc. From everlasting to everlasting, Amen.*Thee, O Lord, etc."[3]
In all Christian Churches the Holy Eucharist is the chief rite. The Nestorians celebrate it rarely, on the chief feasts—not even every Sunday.[4] It is celebrated early in the morning, except on fast-days, when it sometimes comes in the afternoon. Everyone who receives Communion must be fasting from midnight. The
- ↑ The whole Nestorian Calendar is given by Nilles: Kalendarium manuale, ii. 684–688. See also Maclean and Browne: op. cit. 346–352.
- ↑ Chap x., The Daily Services, pp. 212–242.
- ↑ Ib. 219. This prayer is attributed to Simon Bar Ṣabbâ'e (see p. 41). The Syriac text, with the notes to which they sing it (but made chromatic), will be found in the Revue de l'Orient chrétien for 1898, p. 231.
- ↑ Ib. 243–244. The usual Syrian name for the rite of the Holy Eucharist (corresponding to our word "Mass") is Ḳurbânâ (Ar. Ḳurbān, "oblation"), also Ḳudâshâ (Ar. Ḳuddāsh, "holy thing"). Laḥmâ dḳudâshâ ("Bread of holiness") is the Blessed Sacrament.
