Lord Have Mercy

An ancient phrase derived from biblical verses, Kyrie Eleison is often recited to seek God’s mercy.

Chant in Greek

Κύριε, ἐλέησον, Χριστέ, ἐλέησον, Κύριε, ἐλέησον

English transliteration of the chant

Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison, Kyrie Eleison

Meaning of the chant

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy

Benefits of the chant

With this chant, you can seek the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness.

History of the chant

This chant derives from a biblical phrase often found is various Psalms verses. In the New Testament, the phrase appears three time in the Gospel of Matthew. The first liturgical use of the chant is in the eighth book of the Apostolic Constitutions. The deacon sings this chant and the people also reply with ‘Kyrie Eleison’. The chant was introduced into the Roman Mass later.

Important information about the chant

The chant is very popular in Eastern Christianity as if often repeated as a prayer of giving thanks to God for all that he has done. It is also extensively used in Egyptian Christian liturgy. In Rome, the chant was first recited in Greek, but over the years it was translated into Latin. Pope Gregory the Great noticed the difference between the Easter and Western liturgy and how they recited the chant: in the eastern church, all people present would sing the chant together; however, in the western church, the clergy would sing the chant and the people would respond.