Rediscovering Forgotten Anaphoras
from Saint Mark's Convent, Jerusalem
by Father Dale A. Johnson
In the monastery of Saint Mark in Jerusalem, a Syriac Orthodox Convent associated with the Last
Supper of Christ and His Disciples, is a library of Syriac Manuscripts.
When I arrived in 1980 for the first of three visits I still was able to see some remarkable records
through the courtesy of His Eminence Jijawi, Syriac Archbishop of Jerusalem. In 1982 I returned with
equipment to microfilm manuscripts which were subsequently delivered to the Arthur Voobus Syriac
Collection at the Lutheran School of Theology at the University of Chicago where they have
languished for 27 years. As a poor student I was not able to afford to make copies. A few years later
Kent Brown from Brigham Young University microfilmed many of the same materials. Recently these
microfilms were digitized and put online by BYU ( see http://cpart.byu.edu/files/brown). I
immediately recognized the Syriac lectionary with the shelf number Ms Syr 98 (14). I had specifically
microfilmed the colophon. To see the complete lectionary once again filled my soul with joy.
Bishop Samuel published in 1991, the year of my ordination, a series of Anaphoras of the Divine
Liturgy. I remember while living with him at the time, he was busy with these liturgies and was seeking
funding to get them published. He had me busy with writing a history of lectionaries which is still
available online at www.sor.edu/lectionary as part of a body of work in English to explain the great
masterpieces of the Syriac Orthodox Church. He had the foresight to publish these liturgies. He
explained:
“Ever since we were appointed to serve our faithful in North America, we have undertaken the task of
translating our Church rites into English, perhaps the chief international language as well as the
official tongue of this part of the world. It was our judgment that it would be quite appropriate and of
great benefit to publish these translations together with the original Syriac, the language of our Lord.
Thus, we have published the Holy Liturgy of St. James, the Brother of our Lord, the Solemnization of
the Sacrament of Matrimony, the Sacrament of Baptism, the Burial of the Dead and the Book of Church
Festivals. We have presented these volumes to both our own Syrian faithful as well as to scholars
throughout the world who are interested in both our Syriac language and in the heritage of various
traditions and denominations.
In this same series, we today present this Book of Holy Liturgies in both Syriac and English. The Holy
Liturgy, as all know, is the consummation of our faith. The prayers and services of the Holy Eucharist
are the fruit of divine inspiration placed in the hearts of our Godly forefathers. Therefore, it is
important to make these Liturgies available to our faithful more than any other services. The Church
cannot afford to neglect or alter this fact, especially since all the faithful are asked to participate in the
Holy Liturgy in performance of their spiritual duties.”
Unfortunately he published only 13 anaphora with English translations: St James, St. Mark, St. Peter,
Twelve Apostles, St. John, Xystus, St. John Chrysostom, St Cyril, St Jacob of Sarugh, St. Philoxenus,
St. Severius, and Mor Bar Salibi.
Ms Syr 98 in Saint Mark's Monastery contains the previously unpublished and untranslated Anaphoras
(except for one). They are as follows:
Anaphora of Matthew the Shepherd on of the Seventy (70) 1st c
Anaphora of John (Iwannis) of Harran (83) +1165
Anaphora of Jacob Baradaeus (89) +578
Anaphora of Koriakos (Cyriacus) Patriarch of Antioch (121) +817
Anaphra of Eustathius Chief of the Bishops of Nicea (135) 4th c.
Anaphora of Marutha of Takrit (142)) +649
Anaphora of Moshe Bar Kepha (156) +903
This manuscript was in the library when Mor Samuel was bishop in Jerusalem (1946) before he
departed to the United States in 1949. In 1982 I was with His Eminence in the Convent of St. Mark in
1982 when he was consulting this manuscript and others in preparation of a Syriac book of Anaphoras
eventually published in 1985 by the St. Ephrem press in Holland. This is a handwritten book as the
press did not have type setting capabilities for the Syriac font. Nevertheless, Mor Samuel made a list of
79 anaphoras in his introduction plus a couple dozen more that had been made in modern times
bringing the list to nearly 100 anaphoras. The list stunned the scholarly world. It clearly showed that
anaphoras were composed in nearly every generation. Still, in this edition Mor Samuel presented
only10 of these anaphoras in Syriac. To date, many if not most of these anaphoras remain unpublished
and untranslated. From the seven anaphoras listed above only the anaphora of Matthew the Shepherd
is published in the Mor Samuel Syriac edition. No doubt he consulted this manuscript both then and
later but for various reasons chose not to publish all but one of these anaporhras.
There does not seem to be any order to the anaphoras in this manuscript. They vary in dating and length
and importance.
The manuscript is estimated to be a 15th century text. It opens with an interesting diagram of boxes,
four across and five down, identifying various anaphoras. Read from right to left it lists:
Row 1
Anaphora of Jacob the brother of the Lord
Anaphora of the Apostles
Anaphora of the Apostle John the Evangelist
Anaphora of St. Xystus
Row 2
Anaphora of Matthew the Shepherd
Anaphora of Dionysius Bar Salibi
Anaphora of Xystus
Anaphora of Matthew the Shepherd
Row 3
Anaphora of St Peter Chief of the Apostles
Anaphora of John of Harran (Habur and Nisibis, note indicates the year 1533/1222 AD)
Anaphora of Jacob Baradaeus
Anaphora of Jacob of Serug
Row 4
Anaphora of Koriakos the Partiarch of Antioch
Anaphora of Eustathios
Anaphora of Marutha of Takrit
Anaphora of Moshe Bar Kepha
Row 5
Anaphora of Philoxenus of Mabbug
Anaphora of Severius the Patriarch
Anaphora of Mark the Gospel writer
Endings
So there are 19 anaphora in all. Unfortunately the copiest skipped over three anaphoras and copied only
sixteen. He left out the anaphoras of Dionysius Bar Salibi, a second version of St. Xystus of Rome and
a second version of Matthew the Shepherd. He appears to make a common mistake often seen in
manuscripts where the copiest jumps to an identical word (or in this case an anaphora with the same
name) and resumes copying leaving behind the section between the identical words. Instead of copying
the first version of Matthew the Shepherd he jumps to the second version leaping over three anaphora
and continues the order in proper form. It is possible that the copiest did not want a duplicate anaphora
of St. Xystus and Matthew the Shepherd but why did he leave out Dionysius Bar Salibi? It appears to
be a copiest mistake. This is a shame if these anaphoras of St. Xystus and Matthew the Hermit were
varients. If they were not varients then we have lost nothing. Dionysius Bar Salibi has been published
the the 1985 book of anaphors by Mor Samuel.
The anaphora of Matthew the Shepherd seems to have been influenced by the “filioque” controversy
which means it could have been written no earlier than the sixth century AD after it was added to the
Nicene Creed at the Council of Toledo. Filioque is a combination of Latin words meaning "and from
the Son," added to the Nicene Creed by the Third Council of Toledo in 589: Credo in Spiritum Sanctum
qui ex patre filioque procedit ("I believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and Son"). It
refers to the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son. Although it
was accepted by the Western church as a belief by the end of the 4th century, the formula was not
authorized for general liturgical use before the early part of the 11th century.
So it is difficult to know when this anaphora was written. If it was a response to the theology of the
West then it probably was written no earlier than the the 6th century. If it was earlier then it shows
important agreement between Rome and Antioch.
The anaphora of John of Harran is a late anaphora from the 12th century. John of Harran is also known
as John of Mardin and is credited with writing a monastic rule. The anaphora has the characteristics of
a liturgy for a monastery. It is brief and personal.
The anaphora of Jacob Baradaeus demonstates characteristics of influences of Greek liturgies. Note the
use of the Greek word “Paraclete” for the Holy Spirit. Also the use of categories of Greek thought are
suggested in the Epiclesis foreshadowing the distinctions made by Thomas Aquinas in the following
millennium.
The anaphora of Koriakos, Patriarch of Antiioch, in the 9th century focuses on the authority of the Holy
Spirit written in an age when Islam was a dominant force. It is easy to believe that the authority of the
church and it's leaders were challenged. Koriakos points to a broad range of sacred texts and people
who demonstrate an ancient and long heritage of authority. Koriakos is credited with creating the
Synod of Harran and creating canon law to clarify religious issues of the day.
The anaphora of Eustathios is so short and brief it is difficult to know of it's origin. It's brievity could
be a sign of it's antiquity. Eutathius was a bishop from Berea who attended the Nicene Council. The
title to the anaphora indicates Eutathius was a leader of the Bishops at this synod.
The Anaphora of Marutha of Takrit is an extraordinarily beautiful anaphora. The epiclesis points to a
universal and ecological view. It speaks of the blood of Christ being poured for the earth for it's
cleansing. This is extraordinary as we would expect it to be more anthropomorphic and be for our
cleansing. It's transcendant quality could be used in the 21st century.
Surely this anaphora credited to Moshe Bar Kepha was written by him. It possesses the poetic quality
and balance we would expect from one of the great giants of the Syriac Orthodox Church. He repeats
the line, “for the atonement of the passions and forgiveness of sins for those who shall hope” for both
parts of the epiclesis for both the bread and wine.
Anaphora of Matthew the Shepherd one of the Seventy
The priest calls the Holy Spirit: Through your natural mercies integrate us into you O Lord
into your natural compassion. Send the Paraclete, true spirit, who unceasingly proceeds from you
and from the son those things that partake of his essence, and shall abide and shall be released upon this
sacrifice and shall sanctify it. Do not account sins revealed to you on your divine gift.
Priest: Come down secretly and hovering unseen upon this bread shall completely fill the BODY of the
Messiah of God being made flesh.
People: Amen
Priest: and to this cup shall be made perfect the BLOOD that having been made low was lifted up on
Golgotha.
Priest: Amen
Anaphora of John of Harran +1165
Priest bows down the Holy Spirit: Holy Spirit send the Lord from your Holy Abode and and abide and
rest upon this bread. And mixed together these things shall be made holy; and it shall be made pure and
clean for me.
Priest: Answer me...
People: Have mercy upon me...
Priest: This bread shall show the BODY of the Messiah our God
People: Amen
Priest: And to mix with this concealment shall be transfomed BLOOD of the Messiah our God.
People: Amen
Anaphora of Jacob Baradaeus (+578)
When the priest calls the Holy Spirit: To you I call Lord God when I trust upon your mercies you send
upon us the goodness of holy mercy. Who is worthy of you and your only begotten son who by actual
and particular (reality) descended upon your beloved son in the Jordan River and upon the Holy
Apostles.
Priest: Answer me...
Priest: When that spirit, the Paraclete, shall come and hover over these prepared mysteries
and the hovering of his spirit shall make this bread the BODY manifesting the Messiah our God.
People: Amen
Priest: This cup shall perfect the atoning BLOOD of the Messiah our God.
People: Amen
Anaphora of Koriakos the Patriarch of Antioch +817
Priest bows down the Holy Spirit: Have mercy upon us the one complete Father God. Send upon us
and upon these sacrifices that are set before us, our Holy Spirit. That one who is worthy in substance
and eternity. To you and your only begotten Son who by the law and prophets and apostles and upon
that one who was revealed by our Lord Jesus the Messiah in the river Jordan rested upon the apostles in
every age of light.
Priest: Answer me...
People: Have mercy upon me...
Priest: Thus when this bread shall be made manifesting the BODY of the Messiah our God.
People: Amen
Priest: And to this cup is the BLOOD of the Messiah our God.
People: Amen
Anaphora of Eustathios
Priest bows down he calls the Holy Spirit: Your mercies I am pleading and I have been supplicating, O
Lord, to have mercy upon me. And make me worthy and set upon these sacrifices the gift of your
Holy Spirit. And have regard for me for the blemishes of sinfulness. And on behalf of this worship, care
and holiness.
Priest: Answer me...
People: Have mercy upon me...
Priest: Thus, through the manifesting of this bread show the BODY of the Messiah our God.
Priest: The mixture in this cup shall be made the BLOOD of the Messiah our God.
People: Amen
Anaphora of Marutha of Takrit (142)) +649
Priest bows down the Holy Spirit: Answer me O Lord. Have mercy upon me God of human mercies.
And send upon me and upon this sacrifice the Holy Spirit who proceeds from you and partakes from
your Son. And substantially perfects all the mysteries of the church and shall make visible these
sacrifices and shall make them Holy.
Priest: Answer me...
People: Lord have mercy upon me...
Preist: This bread shall be changed and made perfect the BODY who had been slain on account of us
by having been lifted up, the BODY that rose in glory and unseen corruption, the BODY resembling
life. His body is the word of God and our salvation Jesus Christ.
People: Amen
Priest: .This wine being mixed in this cup, has been changed and shall be made perfect, the BLOOD
was poured out on account of (him)being raised up on Golgotha, the BLOOD that shall flow upon the
earth and purify it from sin, the BLOOD summoning life. His blood is the word of God and our
salvation, Jesus Christ, for the remission of passions and for the forgiveness of sins and living things
forever and ever.
People: Amen
Anaphora of Moshe Bar Kepha (156) +903
Priest bows the Holy Spirit: Have pity upon us Lord our God and Creator. True promise of your only
begotten Son. Send your Holy Spirit upon this sacrifice. That one who is worthy of the throne and by
the honor and by the substance with the only begotten Son and true light that is from you, he is that one
who shall come and shall show forth and manifest upon these mysteries and shall make holy and shall
perfect them by his purifying.
Priest: Answer me....
People: Lord have mercy on me..
Priest: For that spirit, the Paraclete, Lord by his abiding shall perfect this God, the living BODY and
making visible the Lord our God, the holy BODY and sanctifying of our souls, the BODY being made
alive in our souls for the atonement of the passions and forgiveness of sins for those who shall hope.
People: Amen
Priest: By the mixing in this cup shall be made BLOOD atoned and atonement of our souls the holy
BLOOD and meditating on his BLOOD of the Messiah our God for the atonement of the passions and
forgiveness of sins for those who shall hope.
People: Amen
Notes
The catalogue for the St. Mark's collection which is online lists:
Anaphora of Saint James as modified by Bar Hebraeus 21-31
Anaphora of the Twelve Apostles
Saint John the Apostle 39b-50a
Anaphora of Saint Dionysius of Amida who is Bar Salibi 40a-55b
Anaphora Saint Xystus 56b-61b
Anaphora Matthew the Shepherd 61b-68b
Anaphora of Simon Peter
Anaphora of John of Harran
Anaphora of Jacob of Batnan-Sarug
Anaphora of Cyriacus (Koriakos)
Anaphora of Eustathius
Anaphora of Saint Marutha of Tagrit
Anaphora of Moshe Bar Kepha 148a-160a
Liturgy of Saint Philoxenus of Mabbug
Anaphora of Severius
Anaphora of the Evangelist Saint Mark
Saint Mark Ms Syr 96 (6)
This is a more comprehensive manuscript
Anaphora of Saint James
Anaphora of Saint John the Evangelist
Anaphroa of Saint Mark the Evangelist
Anaphora Saint Clement disciple of apostle Peter
Anaphora of Saint Ignatius disciple of the Evangelist John
Anaphora of St. Dionysius of Athens disciple of Paul
Athanasius of Alexandria
Anaphora of Saint Basil of Caesarea
Anaphora of Saint Gregory the Theologian
Anaphora of Saint John Chrysostom
Saint Celestine, Pope of Rome
Anaphora of Saint Cyril, Pope of Alexandria
Anaphora of Saint Timothy of Alexandria
Liturgy of Saint Severus of Antioch
Anaphora of Saint John of Bostra
Anaphora of Saint Jacob of Batna-Serug
Liturgy of Saint Jacob of Sarug
Anaphora of Philoxenus of Mabbug
Anaphora of Saint Jacob of Edessa
Liturgy of St Peter
Anaphora of St. Cyriacus
Anaphora of Saint Julius, Pope of Rome
Anaphora of Saint Xystus, Pope of Rome
Anaphora of Matthew the Shepherd
Anaphora Saint Eustathius
another of Saint Eustathius
Liturgy of Saint Philoxenus
another liturgy of Saint Philoxenus
another Liturgy of Saint Philoxenus of Baghdad known as La'zar Bar Shabbta
Liturgy of Saint Thomas, Bishop of Germanicia (Thomas Heraclea)
Liturgy of Saint Marutha of Tagrit
Liturgy of Saint Severus (Moshe Bar Kepha)
Anaphora of Saint Yohannan, (John of Ma'dani)
There are 33 anaphorae in this manuscript.
Three Popes of Rome: Xystus, Celestine, and Julius
Pope Xystus (Sixtus III) Friend of Syrians and sought to reconcile Cyril of Alexandria with the Syrians over the Arian
controversy433-440 (published and translated into English by Bishop Samuel)
Pope Julius 337-352 (published and translated into English by Bishop Samuel) was also a friend of the East and defender of
the Syrians.
Pope Celestine 422-432 (unpublished and untranslated) Not mentioned by Renaudot, listed Neale in hos book on Eastern
Liturgies, and published by William Wright 1867m JBL pp 225-233. Add.BM 14,493, Add. 14,490 but not translated into
English.
The Departure of St. Celestine, Pope of Rome.
On this day also, the great Pope Celestine, bishop of the city of Rome, departed (July 27th, 432 A.D.). This saint was the
disciple of St. Boniface, bishop of Rome. At the time of his death, he commended that father Celestine would succeed him,
and then he cautioned him saying, "Take heed O my son for there would be ravening wolves in the city of Rome." This
father was a righteous and well learned monk. When Pope Boniface departed on September 4th, 422 A.D., they ordained
Celestine in his place on September 10th, 422 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Honorius. This Emperor died in the city of
Raffeen in France in the year 423 A.D. One of the Emperors (Julian the Infidel) wanted to appoint Nestorius a patriarch for
Rome and expel Celestine the saintly Pope. The people rose up and expelled Nestorius which made Emperor Julian enraged
against him. This Saint fled to one of the monasteries nearby Pentapolis (Five cities) and dwelt there. God wrought many
signs and miracles by his hands.
Then, the angel Raphael appeared to him in a dream saying: "Rise up and go to the city of Antioch to its patriarch St.
Dimitrius, and abide with him for the Emperor had decided in his heart to kill you upon his return from the war." When he
woke up, he went forth from that monastery along with two brothers and came to the city of Antioch. He found its Patriarch
ill, told him what had happened to him, and stayed in one of the monasteries of Antioch. Sts. Ignatius and Boniface along
with a third venerable person appeared to the Emperor in a dream and said to him, "Why have you left the city of the saints
without a bishop. Behold, God will remove your soul from you, and you shall die by the hands of your enemies." The
Emperor asked, "What shall I do?" They replied, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" He answered saying, "I do believe."
They said to him, "Send and bring our son bishop Celestine with honor, and restore him to his throne." When the Emperor
awoke from his dream, he wrote to the patriarch of Antioch, Demetrius, asking him to inform his envoys of the whereabouts
of Celestine, and return him to his See. They found him and returned him to his Chair with great honor, and the people
received him with joy and happiness. The peace and the affairs of the church were established by his presence.
When Nestorius blasphemed and the Council assembled for him, Celestine was unable to attend the Council, because of his
illness, so he sent two priests with a letter excommunicating Nestorius in it. The Emperor believed in what Nestorius said,
nevertheless he yielded to the decisions of the Council and exiled Nestorius to Egypt.
When the Lord willed for Celestine to depart from this world, St. Boniface, his predecessor, and St. Athanasius, the
Apostolic, appeared to him and told him, "Affirm your people in the faith, for Christ is calling you." When he woke up he
commanded his people saying, "Take heed to yourselves, for behold ravening wolves shall come into this city." Having said
this he added, "I am leaving, for the saints are calling for me." When he said that, he departed in peace.
Two anaphorae of Popes of Alexandria
Pope Cyril of Alexandria (published and translated by Bishop Samuel)Liturgical Work (Cyril's liturgy reflecting Saint
Mark's has been confirmed by the discovery of several papyrus fragments at Dayr al-Balā'yzah in Asyūt relating to a third-
century Coptic Euchologion and the Anaphora of Saint Mark probably used at the time of Athanasius and preserved by
Cyril).
Pope Timothy of Alexandria (published and translated) 378-384 This is a very early liturgy based on the Liturgy of Saint
Mark.In the year 381, Pope Timothy of Alexandria presided over the second ecumenical council known as the Ecumenical
Council of Constantinople which completed the Nicene Creed with this confirmation of the divinity of the Holy Spirit:
"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-giver, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the
Son is worshiped and glorified who spoke by the Prophets and in one Holy Universal Apostolic Church. We confess
one Baptism for the remission of sins and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the coming age,
Amen."
One anaphora of a scholar:
John of Bostra (Old Damascus) Holy Severus wrote letter to Johnof Bostra (6 th c.) VIII.4. Brooks (published and translated
into French, Renaudot)
John Ma'dani contemporary of Bar Hebraeus of the 13th c. 1252-1263 poet