A Guide to the Maronite Divine Liturgy

by Chorbishop Seely Beggiani

Introduction

All the divine liturgies of the Church share the same core structure and content. Catholic worship focuses on the reading of the Scriptures and the re-enactment of the Last Supper. Acts of the Apostles describes the community of believers in Jerusalem in this way: “Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to the breaking of the bread in their homes.” (2: 46).

The earliest description of Christian Sunday worship is found in St. Justin’s Apology (or defense of Christian teaching and practice) addressed to the Roman Emperor around 155 A.D. He states that each Sunday all the Christians of the region gather together. The “memoirs of the Apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits.” The presider “instructs and exhorts to the imitation of these good things.” After rising in prayer, bread and wine and water are brought. The presider “offers prayers and thanksgivings according to his ability. There is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given.” St. Justin adds that those attending donate to a collection which the presider distributes to the poor, the needy and to strangers.

In the succeeding centuries this basic model described by St. Justin was developed and enriched. The prayers of the celebrant and the responses of the congregation became standardized and distributed as missals. Perhaps, the largest addition to the divine liturgy among the various churches was the “service of preparation and purification” of the assembly before the reading of the Scriptures. It is in this section of the divine liturgy that we see wide differences among the various churches. There are also differences of emphasis and positioning that are found in the Eucharistic prayer.

The Maronite Divine Liturgy or Service of the Holy Mysteries is one of the oldest in the universal church and has its roots in Apostolic times. It perpetuates the liturgical practice of the ancient churches of Edessa and Antioch. These churches which were established and developed at the same time if not earlier than the church of Rome allow us to experience how the earliest Christians worshipped.

It is the purpose of the article to offer a brief guide and commentary of the purposes of the prayers and actions in each phase of the Maronite divine service. All the references are to the Maronite Book of Offering currently in use.

SERVICE OF PREPARATION AND PURIFICATION

The Entrance of the Celebrant, the entrance hymn and the opening prayer

The liturgical service begins with the entrance of the celebrant into the sanctuary. The role of the celebrant is described in entrance hymn for the Sunday of the Consecration of the Church which chants:

“Come and shine in purity at the altar of the Lord, where the priest stands in between God and all humanity. He takes what the people give and lifts it up, heavenward on high. And the Spirit, full of light, is called down to sanctify the cup and the bread.”

The entrance hymn and the opening prayer introduce congregants to the particular event of the liturgical year that is being celebrated.

The Doxology

The divine service begins formally with the hymn chanted by the angels to announce the birth of Christ.

The Prayer of Forgiveness and Incensing

The prayer of forgiveness is unique to the West Syriac churches. It fulfills several purposes. It is a rite of purification in preparation for hearing the Word of God and to be worthy to receive the Eucharist. It offers a catechesis regarding the event of the liturgical year that is being commemorated. It presents a series of petitions before God.

Incense is burned during the prayer. Incense by its very nature purifies the atmosphere and reminds the faithful to purify themselves. Traditionally incense was a precious commodity and was was burned as an offering for one’s sins. St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians declares: “Follow the way of love, even as Christ has loved you. He gave himself for us as an offering to God, a gift of pleasing fragrance.” (5:2)

There are five sections to the rite of forgiveness. The first section is a prayer of praise to God naming his attributes and his role in the feast being celebrated. Traditionally, it was addressed to Christ, the Word of God made flesh. In the present Book of Offering, it is frequently addressed to the Trinity.

The second section offers a catechesis of the event in salvation history that is being celebrated. The third section consists of a litany petitioning God to grant the church the effects of his work of salvation.

The fourth section is a hymn chanted by the congregation appropriate to the feast being commemorated. Originally, it may have been sung while the incensing of the sanctuary, church and congregation was taking place. The fifth section is a prayer offered by the celebrant summarizing the meaning of the rite of incensing.

SERVICE OF READING THE SACRED SCRIPTURES

The Thrice Holy Hymn - Qadeeshat Aloho (Syriac transliteration)

Originally, this hymn was probably chanted when the Gospel book was brought into the Sanctuary. An indication of this is to be found in the prayer recited by the celebrant urging the congregation to purify their minds and consciences to listen the Holy Scriptures. The Maronite Church differs from the other Catholic Churches by addressing the hymn to Christ. This is highlighted in the response which often refers to the salvific actions of Christ. The other churches address it to the Holy Trinity.

Psalm verses

Chanting verses from the Psalms or hymns before and during the various Scripture readings is an ancient practice which not only introduces the readings but allow the readers to approach the lecterns.

The Reading of the Scriptures

The number of readings from Scripture besides the Gospel has varied throughout the centuries. The present use in the Maronite church is two readings with the first being from an epistle of St. Paul. Traditionally, on great feasts up to six readings from both the Old and New Testament were used.

The Homily

Preaching a homily after the scripture readings can be traced to Apostolic times and to Christ himself.

THE PRE-ANAPHORA

A series of actions and prayers are preformed in preparation for celebrating the Eucharist. The Book of Offering uses the term “Pre-Anaphora” for this section. “Anaphora” is the Greek word for “Offering.”

The Creed

The Eucharistic service opens with the assembly professing its faith renewing its membership in the Church of Christ.

Offering of the Gifts and Incensing

After the celebrant ascends to the altar and receives the gifts, he offers them to God recalling the ancient tradition described throughout the Old Testament. He prays that God will respond to the petitions of the faithful to remember their departed, and for their spiritual and material needs. The celebrant incenses the gifts, the altar and worshipers as preparation for the sacred rite that follows.

The Rite of Peace

Following the teaching of Christ that one should make peace with his brother or sister before offering one’s gift, the celebrant offers a prayer developing the theme of peace. There follows a sign of peace that extemds throughout the assembly. It should be noted that in the Maronite practice the gesture is initiated at the altar and is handed on to the priestly celebrants and to the faithful. While in former times the sign of peace was a kiss, the present custom is to offer folded hands as a sign of friendship.

Two prayers (formerly called the prayer of imposition and the prayer of the veil) follow with the theme that the faithful should seek forgiveness of their sins in preparation for the Eucharistic service.

SERVICE OF THE EUCHARIST – THE ANAPHORA

The Eucharistic prayer is a continuous prayer which addresses the Father in its prayer of praise, the Son in the words of institution and the words of remembrance, and the Holy Spirit in the invocation upon the sacred gifts. It begins with a blessing taken from the second epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

Prayer of Praise

The “Prayer of Praise” addresses the Father as creator of all things, with all creation visible and invisible responding to him in a symphony of praise. It imagines the heavens being opened with the divine liturgy being celebrated on earth joining the heavenly choir of angels and saints with the hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy.”

Prayer after the Prayer of Praise

The Prayer after the “prayer of praise” provides a context for the words of institution by recalling God’s plan of salvation culminating in the coming of Christ.

The Words of Institution

Fulfilling the mandate of Christ to the Apostles, the celebrant repeats Christ’s words at the Last Supper declaring that the bread is his body and the wine his blood of the new new covenant.

The Prayers of Remembrance

The celebrant repeats the mandate of Christ that the Eucharist is to be celebrated in remembrance of him until judgment day. The following prayers develop the theme of the second coming and petition the Lord to be merciful and forgive the sins of the faithful.

Invocation of the Holy Spirit

In the Maronite tradition all actions of sanctification are through the Holy Spirit. The celebrant petitions the Father to send the Holy Spirit upon the faithful and upon the offerings to complete the Eucharistic action. He concludes with a prayer that through these mysteries the Holy Spirit will reside in the Church and in the faithful.

The Maronite practice is for the celebrant to kneel in invoking the Holy Spirit to stress the significance of this action.

The Intercessions

Differing from some churches, the Maronite practice is to present its formal intercessions at this point in the liturgy in the presence of the Eucharist and Holy Spirit. Petitions are offered for the universal church, the hierarchy and clergy, and for the faithful. There are also requests made for the material needs of the faithful and for peace in the world. The saints are commemorated and the faithful departed are prayed for.

THE SERVICE OF COMMUNION

The Breaking, Signing, Sprinkling and Mingling

The Eucharistic sacrifice is consummated with the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ. The celebrant prepares the consecrated bread and wine for their reception as communion. He takes a particle of the bread and dips it in the wine and uses the dampened particle to mark the larger host with crosses. He then mingles the same particle with the wine in the chalice.

This practical action has taken on a symbolic meaning. The “words of institution” on the bread and wine represent the separation of the body and blood of Christ symbolizing his sacrificial death. The coming of the Holy Spirit on the bread and wine represent the resurrected Christ. The accompanying prayer declares that by receiving the resurrected Christ, the faithful are able to share both in his humanity and divinity.

The Elevation

In contrast with the offertory, the celebrant by raising the host and chalice now offers Christ himself to the Father.

Lord’s Prayer and Penitential Rite

In preparation to receive communion the faithful recite the Lord’s Prayer asking for the forgiveness of their sins. The celebrant extending his hand asks God to render the faithful worthy to receive the Eucharist.

Invitation to Communion

The celebrant raises the host and the chalice referring to those who have purified themselves as “holy” and therefore worthy to receive the holy mysteries.

Communion

The present practice is for holy communion to be distributed by intinction so that the recipient partakes of both the consecrated bread and wine. The accompanying prayer by the priest or deacon stresses that the Eucharist represents the sacrifice of Christ for the forgiveness of sins, but also that the Eucharist is the viaticum accompanying the recipient into eternal life.

Benediction

The celebrant blesses the congregation with the Holy Eucharist as a form of benediction.

Prayer of Thanksgiving, the Imposition of Hands and Final Blessing

The celebrant gives thanks to the Father for the spiritual nourishment and the blessings that have that have been received. In a second prayer the celebrant extends his hands over the congregation and petitions the Son on behalf of the faithful. The congregation is sent off with a final blessing.