Kyrie eleison

Kyrie eleison. ‘Kyrie eleison’ has been a supplication since pre-Christian times, particularly in the imperial cultus, in which the emperor was referred to as kyrios. This Greek text, which translates as ‘Lord have mercy’ is used, in Greek, in many churches beyond the Greek-speaking world, including the Coptic*, Ethiopian*, West Syrian* and Roman Catholic churches. It is translated into the vernacular in the Armenian*, Romanian* and Nestorian Syrian churches, as well as in many protestant churches. ‘Kyrie eleison’ has been sung liturgically as a choral response since at least the 4th century when Egeria encountered it at Vespers in Jerusalem; it is also mentioned in the Apostolic...