Worship in the West Syrian Churches

(Faith : Worship)
West Syrian Church, Worship Style, Worship History,

Worship in the West Syrian Churches: Syrian, Maronite, and Syro-Indian

The liturgy of the West Syrian churches derives form Antioch, although some elements are believed to have come from the Jerusalem church of which James, the brother of Jesus, was the head. The tone of the liturgy is optimistic, and different parts anticipate the triumphal return of Christ.

The churches that follow the primitive West Syrian tradition are the primary heirs to the tradition of Jerusalem. Though these churches employ many anaphoral texts, the oldest and most treasured among them is that attributed to St. James, "the brother of the Lord." The three churches, Syrian, Maronite, and Syro-Indian, need to be identified separately.

In the wake of the Council of Chalcedon, the West Syrian church of Antioch was divided between those who accepted the council's decrees and those who tended toward monophysitism. The former, considered not only orthodox Catholics but also loyal subjects of the emperor, came to be called Melchites (also, Melkites, from Hebrewmelekh, King, monarch, emperor"); the latter, organized by the monk Jacob Baradai, came to be called Jacobites. 

The Syrian church was in effect the Syro-Jacobite churhch. In 17th century, some of these sought union with Rome, and since that time there have been Syrian Catholics as well as Syrian Jacobites. 
The Syro-Jacobite tradition came to the Malabar region of India as a result of resistance to the Portuguese missionaries, who tried first to Latinize the St. Thomas Christians but succeeded only in Latinizing their East Syrian liturgy. 
The history of the Maronites is transmitted more by legend than by established fact. Legend has it that a fifth-century monk, Maron, founded a monastery in Syria and supported the positions taken at Chalcedon. Threat of persecution drove these Catholic monks to the mountains of Lebanon where, in the seventh seventh century, under their first patriarch John Maron, the monastery of Maron became the Maronite church.

Over the centuries, the Maronite liturgey was heavily Latinized. In a post-Vatican II revision, it has been restored to its primitive West Syrian form.

The Liturgy

Introductory Rites. The liturgy begins with a hymn sung during the entrance of the ministers and the preparation of the gifts. This latter is done simply at a side table. The introductory rites and Service of the Word are conducted at the bema. The opening doxology and prayer are followed by a general greeting of peace, which is followed in turn by a seasonal psalm. The rites conclude with the hoosoyo, a penitential prayer of incense, which is unique to the West Syrian tradition.

Liturgy of the Word. The Service of the Word begins with the trisagion, chanted in Aramaic, and the mazmooro, a psalm chanted by the assembly and priest.  

Pre-anaphora. The service of the Mysteries begins with the pre-anaphora, which consists of the prater of access to the altar, the transfer of the offerings to the altar, the prater of offering, and an incensation of offerings, altar, cross, and assembly. 

Anaphora. As in the East Syrian liturgy, the anaphora includes more than the eucharistic prayer itself. Strictly speaking, the term refers to the whole second part of the liturgy, right through its concluding prayer and blessing. It begins with the rite of peace, in which the peace is sent from the altar (which represents Christ) to the whole congregation. The eucharistic prayer follows the typical West Syrian structure: dialogue; thanksgiving narrative which includes the "Holy, Holy, Holy , " and the narrative of institution; anamnesisl epiklesis; intercessions and final doxology. Even where the liturgy as a whole is celebrated in a local vernacular, it is customary, at least among the Maronites, to chant the insitution words in Aramaic: not only the words of Jesus but the language of Jesus as well.

The bread is broken and signed with the precious blood. The Lords prayer follows. A brief penitential rite (proest touching the consecrated offerings with one hand, extending the other over the congregation and praying for forgiveness) leads into the invitation to communion ("Holy thins for the holy, with perfection, purity and sanctity"). Communion is distributed by intinction.

Concluding Prayers. The conclusion of the rite is simple: a prayer of thanksgiving and the final blessings. The last prayer is a farewell to the altar: Remain in peace, O altar of God, and I hope to return to you in peace...