The Introductory Rites - Part 10
Part ten of a series I'm writing for inclusion in the weekly Parish Bulletin of St Francis of Assisi Parish, Dungog Gresford
The Introductory Rites – Part 10
At the end of Part 9, we had finished our brief tour of the Penitential Act and its various options and were ready to move on to the next element of the Introductory Rites.
Most people will immediately assume that the next element is the Gloria, that hymn of praise that was once found on the lips of the choir of angels at the birth of the Saviour.
Instead, the next element that needs to be talked about, even briefly, is the Kyrie Eleison, which is sometimes included in the Penitential Act but is in reality a separate element.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says:
“After the Penitential Act, the Kyrie, eleison (Lord, have mercy), is always begun, unless it has already been part of the Penitential Act. Since it is a chant by which the faithful acclaim the Lord and implore his mercy, it is usually executed by everyone, that is to say, with the people and the choir or cantor taking part of it.” (n.52)
The way this paragraph is worded makes it clear that the inclusion of the Kyrie Eleison is seen as an independent element to be included unless it has already been said or sung.
Much of what has already been said about the Kyrie Eleison when included in the Penitential Act (see part 8) also applies when it features as a separate element with one exception.
When included as a separate element, the Kyrie Eleison does not feature the introductory ‘trope’ or statement of praise. The invocation, (which can be “Kyrie, eleison. Christ, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.” or “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.”) is included without any preceding statement, and repeated by the Assembly as a whole.
Generally speaking, this invocation is said twice, once by way of invitation, the second by way of response. This is the form taken when included in the Penitential Act. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, however, also permits each of the invocations to be repeated several times “by reason of the character of the various languages, as well as of the artistry of the music or of other circumstances” (GIRM, n.52). This flexibility thus allows for the Kyrie Eleison to reflect a number of additional circumstances and to be celebrated accordingly.
This shortened, seemingly inconsequential, series of invocations allow the Assembly to “acclaim the Lord and implore his mercy” (GIRM, n.52), which we remember is the proper function of this element of the Introductory Rites when it is not included in the Penitential Act.
At the conclusion of the Kyrie Eleison, and only after its conclusion, the Assembly finally moves on to the Gloria.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal refers to the Gloria as:
“…a most ancient and venerable hymn by which the Church, gathered in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb. The text of this hymn may not be replaced by any other.” (n.53)
The General Instruction goes on to indicate several ways in which the Gloria can be sung, the first of which is it sung by everyone together, following the introduction by the Presider or a cantor, though this introduction is often only undertaken at the more solemn celebrations across the year.
The nature of the Gloria as a hymn is emphasised a number of times in this particular article of the General Instruction, thus highlighting the clear preference for this element to be sung whenever it is possible for it to be sung. Indeed, this becomes even clearer when the General Instruction says, “If not sung, it is to be recited either by everybody together or by two choirs responding one to the other” (n.53).
The Gloria is not included in every celebration of the Eucharist. It is to be “sung or said on Sundays outside Advent and Lent, and also on Solemnities and Feasts, and at particular celebrations of a more solemn character” (n.53). This list of inclusions highlights the Gloria as being of particular import on the more significant occasions of the Church’s liturgical life (yes, every Sunday is a more significant occasion!), which is yet another reason why it this hymn should be sung whenever it is possible for it to be sung!
And having (hopefully) raised our voices in praise when singing the Gloria, the Assembly is now ready to proceed to the last element of the Introductory Rites. And that’s what we will do, too, in Part 11.
To be continued…