Okay, so here's the deal- I have met waaaay too many Episcopal priests who praise Eucharistic Prayer D (page 373) in the American
Book of Common Prayer 1979 for its imagery, yet complain about how it's too long so that half of the congregation is asleep by the end of the Doxology and Great Amen. So they either have to settle for Eucharistic Prayers A or B (pages 361 and 367 respectively), or that sci-fi trekkie Prayer of Consecration, Eucharistic Prayer C. (page 369).
Whinos!
Honestly, it saddens me to see Eucharistic Prayer D so ignored. It's my favourite, and it excites me so much that I always request it at masses for my birthday, or for commemorations in the life of my family.
But I'm sure that's just me. Or am I alone in lavishly adoring this beautiful, stirring prayer?
So this is my solution: Turn Eucharistic Prayer D, which is essentially based on the Roman Catholic adaptation (
Eucharistic Prayer IV) of the
Anaphora of St. Basil, into an Eastern Orthodox style litany (well, it's almost like a litany). That way, with active participation in the celebration on the part of the people, you catch the people's attention, and both the celebrant and people are happy. With the responses, I have added very minor edits for clarification or slight expansion. Also, I have used the greeting given in Form 2 (page 404) for the preface dialogue so that way it is more faithful to the dialogue between people and celebrant in the original Anaphora.
If you have any suggestions, hearts or farts, please, please do not hesitate to leave me a comment, or just e-mail me at
chutneyoverrice@gmail.com. I want to get more feedback. If you test drive this in your parish, do tell me.
Also, should you celebrate this, I suggest using the
Trisagion (prayer book form on page 356 or the Christocentric Coptic version, see below) in lieu of the
Kyrie (page 256), Forms I and V (pages 383 and 389 respectively) at the Prayers of the Faithful with ending collect 5 (page 395) or the Prayer of St. John Chrysostom (page 102), I Chronicles 29.11 (page 377) as the offertory sentence, and the post-commuion thanksgiving on page 399. If you must use the
Kyrie, then use the Greek form, making sure that 'Lord, have mercy' is rendered in the Greek all throughout the mass. After the
Agnus Dei, you and the congregation can recite Prayer 66 (page 834) together as a sort of 'Prayer of Humble Access', despite it coming from the
Mozarabic Rite. All this makes a more 'Eastern Orthodox-looking' rite, although not exactly Eastern Orthodox.
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The people remain standing. The Celebrant, whether bishop or priest, faces them and sings or says
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Then, facing the Holy Altar, the Celebrant proceeds
It is truly right to glorify you, Father, and to give you thanks;
for you alone are God, living and true, dwelling in light
inaccessible from before time and for ever.
Fountain of life and source of all goodness,
you made all things and fill them with your blessing;
you created them to rejoice in the splendour of your radiance.
Countless throngs of angels
stand before you to serve you night and day;
and, beholding the glory of your presence,
they offer you unceasing praise.
Joining with them,
and giving voice to every creature under heaven,
we acclaim you, and glorify your Name, as we sing (say),
Celebrant and People
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The people stand or kneel.
Then the Celebrant continues
We acclaim you, holy Lord, glorious in power.
Your mighty works reveal your wisdom and love.
You formed us in your own image,
giving the whole world into our care,
so that, in obedience to you, our Creator,
we might rule and serve all your creatures.
To you be glory and praise for ever.
When our disobedience took us far from you,
you did not abandon us to the power of death.
In your mercy you came to our help,
so that in seeking you we might find you.
Again and again you called us into covenant with you,
and through the prophets you taught us to hope for salvation.
To you be glory and praise for ever.
Father, you loved the world so much
that in the fullness of time
you sent your only Son to be our Saviour.
Incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
he lived as one of us, yet without sin.
To you be glory and praise for ever.
To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation;
to prisoners, freedom; to the sorrowful, joy.
To fulfil your purpose he gave himself up to death;
and, rising from the grave, destroyed death,
and made the whole creation new.
To you be glory and praise for ever.
And, that we might live no longer for ourselves,
but for him who died and rose for us, he sent the Holy Spirit,
his own first gift for those who believe,
to complete his work in the world,
and to bring to fulfilment the sanctification of all.
To you be glory and praise for ever.
At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to hold it, or lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning the cup, to hold or place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel containing wine to be consecrated.
When the hour had come for him
to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father,
having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end;
at supper with them he took bread,
and when he had given thanks to you,
he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said,
“Take, eat: This is my Body,
which is given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.”
Amen. Lord, we believe.
After supper he took the cup of wine;
and when he had given thanks,
he gave it to them, and said,
“Drink this, all of you:
This is my Blood of the new Covenant, the mystery of faith,
which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Amen. Lord, we believe.
Father, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption.
Recalling Christ's death and his descent among the dead,
proclaiming his resurrection and ascension to your right hand,
awaiting his coming in glory; and offering to you,
from the gifts you have given us, this bread and this cup,
we praise you and we bless you.
Celebrant and People
We praise you, we bless you,
we give thanks to you,
and we pray to you, Lord our God.
The Celebrant continues
Lord, we pray that in your goodness and mercy
your Holy Spirit may descend upon us, and upon these gifts,
sanctifying them and showing them
to be holy gifts for your holy people,
the bread of life and the cup of salvation,
the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ,
given for the salvation of the world.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Grant that all who share his Body and Blood
may become one body by the Holy Spirit,
a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise of your Name.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your one holy catholic and apostolic Church,
redeemed by the blood of your Christ.
Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Remember N. the Archbishop of Canterbury,
N. our Presiding Bishop, N. our Bishop,
and all who minister in your Church.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Remember all your people and those who seek your truth.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Remember _____________,
and all for whom we offer this sacrifice.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Remember all who have died in the peace of Christ,
and those whose faith is known to you alone;
bring them into the place of eternal joy and light.
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
And grant that we may find our inheritance
with Mary, the Virgin Bearer of God;
with patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs;
with N. and all the saints
who have found favour with you in ages past.
Aided by their prayers,
may we praise you in union with them
and give you glory through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessed be your Name, Christ our God.
Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ,
all honour and glory are yours, Almighty God and Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
for ever and ever.
AMEN.
______________________________________________
As promised, here's the Coptic form of the
Trisagion:
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
who has born of the Virgin,
have mercy on us.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
who was crucified for us,
have mercy on us.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
who rose from the dead
and ascended into the heavens,
have mercy on us.
Joshua Ligan 2007.
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