Trisagion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The
Trisagion (
Greek: Τρισάγιον "Thrice Holy"), sometimes called by its opening line
Agios O Theos or by the
Latin Tersanctus, is a standard hymn of the
Divine Liturgy in most of the
Eastern Orthodox Churches,
Oriental Orthodox Churches and
Catholic Churches.
In those Churches which use the
Byzantine Rite, the Trisagion is chanted immediately before the
Prokeimenon and the
Epistle Reading.
In the Orthodox Church it is also included in a set of prayers named for it, called the
Trisagion Prayers, which forms part of numerous services (the Hours,
Vespers,
Matins, and as part of the opening prayers for most services).
In the
Roman Catholic church, an indulgence of 100 days is associated with the Trisagion when prayed once a day together with the
Sanctus, with a contrite heart to adore the
Holy Trinity.
[1] [edit] Form of the prayer
- For other languages, please see below
The Trisagion prayer is an ancient prayer in Christianity. It may be that the prayer was originally an expansion of the angelic cry recorded in
Revelation 4:8 (sometimes called the
Sanctus).
In
Greek:
- Ἅγιος ὁ Θεός, Ἅγιος ἰσχυρός, Ἅγιος ἀθάνατος, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς.
- Agios o Theos, Agios ischyros, Agios athanatos, eleison imas. (Traditional Romanization)
In
Latin:
- Sānctus Deus, Sānctus Fortis, Sānctus Immortālis, miserēre nōbīs.
In
English:
- Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.[2]
or more commonly:
- Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
[edit] In the Divine Liturgy
When the Trisagion is sung during the
Divine Liturgy of the
Byzantine Rite, before the
Prokeimenon of the Gospel that precedes the Epistle reading, it is normally sung three times to one of many melodies composed for it. This is followed by singing
Glory... Now..., the second half of the Trisagion once, and finally the whole Trisagion a fourth time:
- Holy God, Holy [and] Mighty, Holy [and] Immortal, have mercy on us.
- Holy God, Holy [and] Mighty, Holy [and] Immortal, Have mercy on us.
- Holy God, Holy [and] Mighty, Holy [and] Immortal, Have mercy on us.
- Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
- Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us.
- Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, Have mercy on us.
On the other hand, in the usage of the other, non-Byzantine Eastern Churches, the Trisagion is simply sung thrice, with no
Glory... Now....
In the
West Syrian Rite, used by the
Syrian Orthodox Church, the
Syrian Catholic Church,
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church,
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and in a hybrid form, the
Maronite Church and other derived rites of
Syriac Christianity, the Trisagion is sung towards the beginning of the
Holy Qurbana (Divine Liturgy), after the Old Testament Readings and the Introductory Hymn.
In the
Armenian Rite, used by the
Armenian Apostolic Church and the
Armenian Catholic Church, the Trisagion occurs early in the Divine Liturgy, coming after the Monogenes Hymn and the Midday Hymn & Psalm.
The Trisagion also has a similar place in the liturgies of the
Coptic Orthodox Church, the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church and
Eritrean Orthodox Church, as well as the
Coptic Catholic Church and
Ethiopic Catholic Church.
[edit] As part of the 'Trisagion Prayers'
During most services of the
Eastern Orthodox Church, the Trisagion is combined with several other prayers to form a unit, often called simply
The Trisagion Prayers. This set of prayers forms part of the opening prayers of most services, and is also located within many of the Hours and daily cycle of services.
The full unit known as the Trisagion Prayers normally looks like this:
- Holy God, Holy [and] Mighty, Holy [and] Immortal, have mercy on us. (three times)
- Glory... Both now...
- All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal us for thy Name's sake.
- Lord, have mercy. (three times)
- Glory... Both now...
- Our Father...
While it is possible that the Trisagion has origins in the Biblical 'thrice holy' of Isaiah 6:3 (the
Sanctus: Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Sabaoth. Heaven and earth are full of your glory', etc.), they are today separate prayers. The latter is used at a different point in the Liturgy (in the
Divine Liturgy, during the
anaphora).
The trisagion is also sung at the entry of the coffin into the church at a funeral and when the coffin is carried to the grave.
[3] It is also sung at the conclusion of the
Great Doxology.
[4] [edit] In the Latin Liturgy
In the Latin Church, the main regular use of the Trisagion is on
Good Friday, when it is sung throughout the ceremony of the
Adoration of the Cross. In the
Sistine Chapel, the traditional setting was the polyphonic musical setting of
Palestrina. During this service, the hymn is sung by two choirs, alternately in
Greek and
Latin, originally two antiphonal Greek and Latin choirs, as follows:
- Greek (First) Choir: Agios o Theos. (Holy God)
- Latin (Second) Choir: Sanctus Deus.
- Greek (First) Choir: Agios ischyros. (Holy Strong One)
- Latin (Second) Choir: Sanctus fortis.
- Greek (First) Choir: Agios athanatos, eleison imas. (Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us)
- Latin (Second) Choir: Sanctus immortalis, miserere nobis.
The hymn is sung in this manner thrice, responding to the first three of twelve
reproaches.
In the Latin Church, the Trisagion is also employed in the
Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the
Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. There is also a Chaplet to the Holy Trinity used by the Order of the Most Holy Trinity called 'The Trisagion' or the 'Angelic Trisagion', which makes use of both forms of the Trisagion.
[1] It is also used in the hour of
Prime, in the ferial Preces, on ferias of Advent and Lent and on common Vigils.
[edit] In the American Book of Common Prayer
The Episcopal Church's 1979
Book of Common Prayer introduced the Trisagion into the Holy Eucharist in both Rite One and Rite Two as part of the Word of God. In Rite One it follows the Summary of the Law. In Rite Two it can be used as an alternative to the
Kyrie eleison, which follows the
Collect for Purity and precedes the
Collect of the Day.
[edit] History of the Trisagion
[edit] Traditional Origins
The
Greek phrase Trisagion translates as "Thrice Holy" - as in this hymn God is described Holy in three different qualities;
Agios o Theos, means 'Holy God'.
The hymn is of great antiquity, and perhaps much older than the event assigned by the Greek
Menology as connected to its origin. The tradition recounts that during the reign of
Theodosius II (
408-
450),
Constantinople was shaken by a violent earthquake, 24 September, and that whilst the people, the emperor and the
Patriarch Proclus of Constantinople (
434-
446) were praying for heavenly assistance, a child was suddenly lifted into midair, to whom all cried out
Kyrie eleison ('Lord, have mercy'). The child was then seen to descend again to the earth, and in a loud voice he exhorted the people to pray : 'Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal'. After giving this exhortation, the child died.
The fact that the hymn was one of the exclamations of the fathers at the
Council of Chalcedon (
451), and that it is common not only to all the Greek Oriental liturgies, but was used also in the Gallican Liturgy (see
Saint Germain of Paris, d.
576), suggests that the hymn is extremely ancient, perhaps of apostolic-era origin.
The
Coptic Orthodox Church believes that the Trisagion originated from Nicodemus. While taking the body of Christ off the cross with
Joseph of Arimathea,
Nicodemus saw Jesus Christ's eyes open and then shouted "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal". Traditionally, it is also considered proof that his Divinty did not part from his humanity.
[edit] Greek and Latin
Interestingly, the Gallican Liturgy refers to it as being sung both in Greek and in Latin:
Incipiente præsule ecclesia Ajus [that is, Agios]
psallit, dicens latinum cum græco, as also previously in Greek alone, before the
Prophetia.
Benedict XIV thought that the Greek formula was joined with the Latin in allusion to the divine voice heard at Constantinople. But the explanation seems hardly necessary, in view of the retention of
Kyrie eleison in the Roman Liturgy, as well as such Hebrew words as
Amen,
Alleluia,
Hosanna,
Sabaoth. It is true that the
Kyrie eleison is not joined to a Latin version; on the other hand, it is so simple and occurs so frequently, that its meaning could easily be learned and remembered - whereas the entire Trisagion might well receive a parallel version into Latin.
[edit] Modifications in history
Various additions or modifications made to the Trisagion at certain points in history have been the subject of considerable controversy. The phrase 'who wast crucified for us' was added to it by
Peter the Fuller, in order to advance the teaching of the
Theopaschites (who asserted that the
divine nature suffered upon the
cross). While susceptible of an orthodox interpretation, and for this reason used in some regions, this is still considered a controversial insertion.
Traditionally, the Trisagion has always been understood as addressed to the
Holy Trinity (cf. Isaiah 6:3). But in light of widespread adoption of the hymn with the above addition ('who wast crucified for us'),
Calandion, Bishop of
Antioch, sought to allay the controversy surrounding it by prefixing the words 'Christ, King'. This had the effect of making the hymn refer directly to the
incarnate Word:
Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal, Christ, King, who was crucified for us, have mercy on us. Though perhaps well intended, this effort at emendation was ultimately rejected.
Later
Severus,
Patriarch of Antioch (deemed heterodox by those who recognise the
Council of Chalcedon), wrote to prove the correct ascription of the hymn to the Son of God, and made the use of the emended version standard in his diocese. It is this form
Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal, crucified for us, have mercy on us that is in use in the
Oriental Orthodox Churches.
In the eleventh century,
Pope Gregory VII (1073–1085) wrote to the Armenians, who still used the emended formula, instructing them to avoid all occasion for scandal by removing the additions, which Pope Gregory argues (incorrectly) that neither the Roman nor any Eastern Church (save the Armenians themselves) had adopted. The injunction appears to have been ignored. When, centuries later, Roman Catholic union with the Armenians was again discussed, a question was addressed (30 January 1635) to the
Congregatio de Propaganda Fide, as to whether the
Armenian Catholics might still use the formula 'who suffered for us'. The request was answered in the negative. Nevertheless, Armenian Catholic continue to use the traditional formula.
Variations of the traditional formula and Trinitarian ascription are found also in the
Armenian Orthodox Liturgy. In these the hymn is addressed to the Redeemer, and versions vary with the feast or office. Thus, the formula of Peter the Fuller (above) is used on all Fridays; on all Sundays: 'risen from the dead'; on
Holy Thursday: 'betrayed for us'; on
Holy Saturday: 'buried for us'; on the Feast of the
Dormition of the Theotokos: 'who came to the death of the Holy Mother and Virgin', etc.
The
Coptic Orthodox,
Syriac Orthodox and their daughter Churches also use the formula 'crucified for us', with minor seasonal variations from the Armenian use.
[edit] Other languages
[edit] Europe
In
Church Slavonic this is:
- Свѧты́й Бо́же, Свѧты́й Крѣ́пкїй, Свѧты́й Безсме́ртный, поми́лyй на́съ.
- Svjatyj Boze, Svjatyj Kripkij, Svjatyj Bezsmertnnyj, pomiluj nas.
In
Classical Armenian:
- Սուրբ Աստուած, սուրբ եւ հզօր, սուրբ եւ անմահ, որ հարյար ի մեռելոց, ողորմեա մեզ
- Sourp Asdvadz, sourp yev h'zor, sourp yev anmah, vor haryar i merelotz, voghormia mez.
In
Croatian:
- Sveti Bože, Sveti Jaki Bože, Sveti Besmrtni Bože, smiluj nam se.
In
French:
- Saint Dieu, Saint Fort, Saint Immortel, aie pitié de nous.
In
German:
- Heiliger Gott, heiliger starker, heiliger unsterblicher, erbarme dich unser.
In
Italian:
- Santo Dio, Santo forte, Santo immortale, abbi pietà di noi.
- Dio santo, Dio forte, Dio immortale, abbi pietà di noi.
In
Polish this is:
- Święty Boże, Święty Mocny, Święty Nieśmiertelny, zmiłuj się nad nami.
In
Romanian this is:
- Sfinte Dumnezeule, Sfinte Tare, Sfinte Fără de Moarte, miluieşte-ne pre noi.
In
Finnish this is:
- Pyhä Jumala, Pyhä Väkevä, Pyhä Kuolematon, armahda meitä.
In
Spanish this is:
- Santo Dios, Santo Fuerte, Santo Inmortal, ten piedad de nosotros
In
Georgian this is:
- წმიდაო ღმერთო, წმიდაო ძლიერო, წმიდაო უკვდავო, შეგვიწყალენ ჩვენ.
Tsmidao Ghmerto, Tsmidao Dzliero, Tsmidao Ukvdavo, shegvitsqalen chven. In
Low Mari (spoken in Russian Federation) this is:
- Святой Юмо, Святой Куатле, Святой Колыдымо, мемнам серлаге.
- Svyatoy Yumo, Svyatoy Kolydymo, Svyatoy Kooatle, memnam serlage.
In
Slovak this is:
- Svätý Bože, Svätý Silný, Svätý Nesmrteľný, zmiluj sa nad nami.
In
Belarusian this is:
- Сьвяты Божа, Сьвяты Моцны, Сьвяты Несьмяротны, памілуй нас. (Cyrillic orthography)
- Śviaty Boža, Śviaty Mocny, Śviaty Nieśmiarotny, pamiłuj nas. (Latin orthography)
[edit] Africa
In
Ge'ez (Ethiopic) this is:
- Qidus Igziabhér, Qidus Hayal, Qidus Hiyaw, Ze'iyimewut, Tesehalene Egzi'o.
In
Amharic (Ethiopia):
- Qidus Igziabhér, Qidus Hayal, Qidus Hiyaw, Yemaymot, Abétu Yiqir Belen.
In
Aramaic:
- ܩܕܝܫܐ ܐܠܗܐ، ܩܕܝܫܐ ܚܝܠܬܢܐ، ܩܕܝܫܐ ܠܐ ܡܝܘܬܐ، ܐܬܪܚܡܥܠܝܢ
- Qadisha Alaha, Qadisha Ħilthana, Qadisha Lamayotha, 'Ithraħim 'aleyn.
In
Syriac this is: ܩܕܝܫܬ ܐܠܗܐ܆ ܩܕܝܫܬ ܚܠܛܢܐ܆ ܩܕܝܫܬ ܠܐ ܡܝܘܬܼܐ܆ ܐܬܪܚܡܥܠܝܢ܀
- qadeeshat alaha, qadeeshat hayelthana, qadeeshat la moyoutha, ethraham )layn.
In
Arabic this is:
- قدوس الله، قدوس القوي، قدوس الذي لا يموت ارحمنا
- Quddûsun Allâh! Quddûsun al-qawî! Quddûsun al-ladhî lâ yamût urhamnâ.
In
Hebrew this is: אלוהים אדירים, סגיב הקודש, הקודש אלמותי אחד, ירחם עלינו
In
Chinese this is:
- 至聖之上帝，至聖及大能之上帝，至聖及永生之上帝，憐憫我們。 (Traditional)
- 至圣之上帝，至圣及大能之上帝，至圣及永生之上帝，怜悯我们。 (Simplified)
- Zhì shèng zhī Shàngdì, zhì shèng jí dà néng zhī Shàngdì, zhì shèng jí yǒngshēng zhī Shàngdì, liánmǐn wǒmen. (Pinyin)
In
Filipino this is:
- Banál na Diyós, Banál na Puspós ng Kapangyaríhan, Banál na Waláng Hanggán, maawà Pô Kayò sa ámin.
In
Korean this is:
- 거룩한 하느님이시여, 거룩하고 전능하신 이여, 거룩하고 영원하신 이여, 우리를 불쌍히 여기소서.
- Georukhan Haneunimisiyeo, Georukhago Jeonneunghasin Iyeo, Georukhago Yeongwonhasin Iyeo, urireul bulssanghi yeogisoseo.
In
Japanese this is:
- 聖なる神, 聖なる勇毅, 聖なる常生の者や、我等を憐れめよ。
- Seinaru Kami, Seinaru Yūki, Seinaru Jōseinomonoya, Warerao Awaremeyo.
In
Malayalam this is:
- Deivame nee parisudhanaakunnu, Belavanne nee parisudhanaakunnu, Maranamillathavane nee parisudhannakunnu, Njangalku vendi (Making the sign of the cross) Krushikkapettavane Njangale anugrahikkaname
[edit] See also
- Sanctus, another invocation also referred to as the Tersanctus
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