The Anaphora of the Ethiopic Church Ordinances (Brightman translation)
The Anaphora of the Ethiopic Church Ordinances (Brightman translation)
Ethiopic Liturgy
Medieval translation of an ancient rite
The eucharistic prayer at the ordination of a bishop in the Ethiopic Church Ordinances, which is the Ethiopic form of the prayer in the old Egyptian church order called the Apostolic Tradition, often ascribed to Hippolytus of Rome. Brightman translated it from the Ethiopic text that Job Ludolf printed in his history of Ethiopia in 1691.
The Offertory and the Thanksgiving
1 And let the deacon bring the oblation to [the newly consecrated bishop].
And then he shall lay his hand on the oblation with all the presbyters and giving thanks shall say on this wise
2 The Lord be with you all
And the people shall answer
3 May he be wholly with thy Spirit
And the bishop shall say
4 Lift up your hearts
And the people shall say
5 We lift them up unto the Lord our God
And the bishop shall say
6 Let us give thanks unto the Lord
The people
7 It is right and just And then [the presbyters] shall say the consecration of the oblation following the bishop We give thee thanks, o Lord, in thy beloved Son Jesus Christ whom in the last days thou didst send unto us a Saviour and redeemer, the angel of thy counsel, who is the Word from thee, through whom thou madest all things by thy will. And thou sentest him from heaven into the bosom of the virgin: he was made flesh and was carried in the womb and thy Son was revealed of the Holy Ghost that he might fulfil thy will and make a people for thee by stretching out his hands, suffering to loose the sufferers that trust in thee: who was delivered of his own will to the passion that he might destroy death and burst the bonds of Satan and trample on hades and lead forth the saints and establish a covenant and make known his resurrection. Therefore he took bread, gave thanks and said take eat: this is my body which is broken for you. And likewise also the cup and said this is my blood which is shed for you: as often as ye do this ye shall do it in remembrance of me.
The Invocation and the Inclination
1 Remembering therefore his death and his resurrection we offer thee this bread and cup giving thanks unto thee for that thou hast made us meet to stand before thee and do thee priestly service. We beseech thee that thou wouldest send thine Holy Spirit on the oblation of this church: give it together unto all them that partake [for] sanctification and for fulfilling with the Holy Ghost and for confirming true faith, that they may laud and praise thee in thy Son Jesus Christ, through whom to thee be glory and dominion in the holy church both now and ever and world without end. Amen
Of the oblation of oil
2 He that shall offer oil in the offering of bread and wine, likewise giving thanks in this manner, if he use not these words, shall give thanks in other words to the best of his power saying Like as hallowing this (creature of) oil thou givest it to them that are anointed and receive it, wherewith thou didst anoint priests and prophets: after the same manner also strengthen them and whosoever partakes thereof and hallow them that receive it)
The people shall say
3 As it was, is and shall be unto generations of generations and world without end. Amen.
The bishop
4 And again we beseech the almighty Lord the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ to grant us to take with blessing this holy mystery and not to condemn any of us but to make meet all that partake of the reception of the holy mystery of the body and blood of Christ the almighty Lord our God
The deacon shall say
5 Pray ye
The bishop shall say
6 Lord almighty, grant us effectual reception of this holy mystery and condemn none of us but bless every one in Christ: through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Ghost be glory and dominion [both now] and ever and world without end. Amen.
The Inclination — The deacon shall say
7 Ye who stand, bow down your heads
The bishop shall say
8 Lord eternal which knowest what is hidden, unto thee thy people have bowed down their head and unto thee have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh: behold from heaven thy dwellingplace and bless them, men and women: incline thine ear to them and hearken unto their prayer: stablish them with the strength of thy right hand and protect them from evil affliction: be thou to them a guardian, to body and soul: increase unto them and us faith and fear: through thine only Son through whom to thee with him and the Holy Ghost be glory and dominion always and world without end. Amen.
The Elevation — The deacon shall say
9 Give we heed
And the bishop
10 Holiness to the holies
The people shall say
11 One is the holy Father: one is the holy Son: one is the holy Spirit.
The Communion, Thanksgiving and Dismissal
The bishop shall say
1 The Lord be with you all
The people shall say
2 And with thy spirit Then they shall raise an hymn of praise and the people shall go in to receive the saving medicine of the soul whereby sin is forgiven.
Thanksgiving
3 Prayer after he has delivered (the communion) Lord almighty, Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, we give thee thanks for that thou hast granted us to take of thine holy mystery. Let it not be unto guilt nor unto judgement but unto renewing of soul and body and spirit: through thine only Son through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Ghost be glory and dominion eternally both now and ever and world without end. Amen
The people shall say
4 Amen.
Dismissal — The presbyter shall say
5 The Lord be with you all
The people shall say
6 And with thy spirit Imposition of hands after they have received Lord eternal almighty, Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, bless thy servants and thine handmaids: protect and help and succour them by the host of thine angels, guard and strengthen them in thy fear, with thy majesty adorn them, grant that they may think the things that are thine and believe the things that are thine and grant that they may will what is thine, even peaceableness without offence and wrath: through thine only Son through whom to thee with him and the Holy Ghost be glory and dominion
and the rest — The people shall say
7 Amen.
The bishop shall say
8 The Lord be with you all
The people
9 And with thy spirit
The deacon shall say
10 Go in peace. And the keddāse is finished.