Anaphora of Saint Gregory

The Liturgy of Saint Gregory the Theologian (or Anaphora of Saint Gregory,

This liturgical text derives from the West Syriac Rite, being imported in Egypt after the 6th-century from Syriac monks who settled in Wadi El Natrun.^[4] The authorship of the core of this anaphora by Gregory of Nazianzus himself cannot be excluded.^[1] The text however was adapted to the Egyptian use, and it was one of the three anaphoras which use was permitted by the canons of Patriarch Gabriel II in the 12th century.^[5]

The oldest manuscripts of this liturgy date the

Structure of the anaphora

The Anaphora of Saint Gregory the Theologian follows the Antiochene (or "West Syriac") structure, which can be so summarized:

• Pre-anaphoric rites:
  • the Prayer of the Veil
  • the Prayer of Reconciliation
• Anaphora:
  • the
    Opening Dialogue
  • the Preface, glorifying Christ and giving thanks to him for the creation.
  • the Pre-Sanctus, introducing the Sanctus, first asking to unite with the heavenly Angelic liturgy, and later glorifying Christ with the choir of angels,
  • the Sanctus, conducted with the Benedictus,
  • the Post-Sanctus, recalling the whole history of
    Passion, Resurrection
    of Christ,
  • the Oblation, offering to the Lord the Eucharistic bread and wine,
  • Institution narrative
    ,
  • the
    Passion, Resurrection and Second Coming
    of Christ,
  • the Epiclesis, asking Christ to convert the Eucharistic bread and wine with his voice, and also to send the Holy Spirit on them in order to purify them and to make them the Body and Blood of Christ,
  • the Intercessions, praying for the Church, for the livings (including the diptychs for current pope, bishop and other members of the Church),
• the Fraction,
  • introduction
  • the prayer of submission to the Son
  • the absolution of the Son

Notes