Chaldean Rite (part 1)

I've been laying plans recently to take my Youth Group down to Southfield to participate in a High Mass done according to the Chaldean Rite in the Chaldean language. Chaldeans are groups of Christians in Iraq and Turkey who were once part of the Nestorian schism but were first reconciled to the Church in the year 1247 and then finally fully reconciled in 1692. I drove down to the Chaldean Church and prayed in their sanctuary for a while (a newer building constructed in the romanesque style with a modern but aesthetically pleasing look to it) and spent some time going through their liturgy. As I read through the liturgical pamphlet, I was very impressed and knew I had to come back and blog about it!

The first thing that impressed me about the Chaldean Mass was the fact that they are eminently proud of its antiquity. When you open the Mass booklet up, on the first page the title simply say, "The Mass of the Apostles: written by Mar Addai and Mar Mari, Blessed Apostles of the East." Mar means "saint," and Mar Addai is none other than St. Thaddeus the Apostle. Mar Mari was his most important disciplie, St. Maris. It is to Addai and Mari that we attribute the Edessa story about King Agbar being healed by means of a picture of Christ presented to him by one of the disciples. As far as I know the story is not taken to be historical, it is shows at least the great antiquity which the Chaldeans would like to ascribe to their rite, so much so that they boast of it being written by St. Thaddeus. A more realistic date for it may be in the 7th century (around the same time the Gregorian form was developing in the west), but some date it to the middle-patristic period around the Church of Antioch. Either way, it is of great antiquity, and reading this first page alone impressed me much more than when I pick up the little red NO books that say "The Mass of Vatican II" or "The Mass of Pope Paul VI," which almost boast of being "the latest thing."

Another thing I never thought about too much but liked was that the entire Mass is called "The Eucharistic Liturgy." In the Chaldean Mass, there is no breaking of the liturgy into a Liturgy of the Word and a Liturgy of the Eucharist. The enitre Mass is referred to as the liturgy of the Eucharist. I know that even if we have two separate names for the parts of the Mass it is still one single act of worship, but the Chaldean rite expresses this better by calling the whole Mass by the name of the Eucharistic sacrifice.

Now I'm going to transcribe the entire liturgy, though of course I won't do it all at once. I'll try to resist the urge to comment too much. You'll notice how this liturgy, from start to finish, is a liturgy of pure praise and adoration. Please be aware that at times this liturgy will repeat itself (as with the Our Father). It is not a typo-it really does repeat itself like this. Notice also how the servers have parts, too, just like in the TLM. In cases where there are alternate prayers (very few), I have opted for the longest form. Forgive me if you already know all about this liturgy, but I am sharing with you the enthusiasm I feel as one who has come across something wonderful for the first time.

Today I will do just the introductory prayers and the penitential rite, though they do not seem to divide it up by those names.

Priest: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; Amen. Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and hope to all forever.

People: Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Holy, Holy, Holy are You. Our Father who art in Heaven, heaven and earth are full of Your glory, angels and people cry out to You: Holy, Holy, Holy are You.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, now and forever. Amen.

Priest: Strengthen O Lord our weaknesses by your mercy, that we may be worthy to celebrate the Holy Eucharist given for our renewal and redemption through the great mercy of Your Beloved Son, forever.

People: Amen.

Priest: For all the blessings You have given us, we thank You Lord and praise You in Your Holy Church forever.

People: Amen. To You Lord of all, our thanksgiving. To You, Jesus Christ, our praise. For You are the giver of life to our bodies and savior of our souls.

Servers: It is good to thank the Lord and praise His Holy Name.

People: To You Lord of all, our thanksgiving. To You, Jesus Christ, our praise. For You are the giver of life to our bodies and savior of our souls.

Servers: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, amen and amen.

People: To You Lord of all, our thanksgiving. To You, Jesus Christ, our praise. For You are the giver of life to our bodies and savior of our souls.

Deacon: Let us pray that peace be with us.

Priest: Lord You are truly the giver of life to our bodies, the good Savior of our souls and the guardian of our lives. It is right to adore, glorify and praise You forever.

People: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

Servers: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

People: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

Servers: From the beginning unto all ages, amen and amen.

People: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

Deacon: Let us pray that peace be with us.

Priest: O Holy, Mighty and Immortal, who delights in the company of His holy ones, turn to us, O Lord and have mercy on us as always; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, forever.

People: Amen.

Of course, this is all done in the Chaldean language, which unless I am mistaken, is some form of Syriac. If you are curious about what Chaldean sounds like, here is a transliteration of the phrase "To You Lord of all, our thanksgiving. To You, Jesus Christ, our praise. For You are the giver of life to our bodies and savior of our souls" that you can say out loud to yourself:

La-khou Mara d-khoul-la maw-de-nan, ou-lakh Isho' Mshee-ha mshab-hee-nan datto mnah-ma-na dpagh-rain watto Pa-ro-qa dnaw-sha-than.