Hymns of St. Basilius Mass
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“We worship the Father of Light, His-Only Begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, the One Essence Trinity”. It is called “Hymn of the Holy Trinity” or “Hymn of the blessing”. Chanted at the end of the offering of morning incense as a preparation for the Lamb Offering.
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Shere Mareia
ti oaroa:
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“Hail to Mary
the Queen…” Chanted before the Lamb Offering at the royal
door “altar”. The Lamb is the King and Virgin Mary is the
Queen who sat at His right hand in her gown interwoven with
gold (Psalm: 45).
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Kerie eleison:
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A Greek word
meaning “Lord have mercy”. It is repeated 41 times as if
begging the mercy of God with insistence. The number 41
indicates the 39 lashes that the Savior has suffered + the
beat with the reed + the stab with the lance.
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Alli al
korban:
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Ancient hymn
mentioned in the law 40 of Pope Athanasius the apostolic.
The hymn has no words except “a”, the first letter of
“Alleluia”. It acts as a long introduction to the short hymn
“Alleluia fai pe pi”, drawing with tones only the tour of
Jesus’ life from the baptism up to the resurrection.
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Alleluia fai
pe pi:
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“This is the day
that the Lord has made. Set us rejoice and be glad in it…”.
(Psalm 118: 24-26). Chanted in the procession of the Lamb in
Sundays, feasts and the Holy Pentecost.
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Doxa Patri ke
Eioa:
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“Glory to the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Chanted after the Lamb
procession. This gospel faith has different melodies in
several occasions.
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Nee savev
teero:
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All the wise men
who craft threads of gold, make a garment of Aaron according
to the honour of the priesthood of our honored father, the
Pope, Abba Shenouda, as the Lord has ordered Mosios (Exit
28: 3). Chanted after the prayer of thanksgiving in the
presence of the Pope or the Bishop.
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Soatees amen:
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“Saved, Amen,
and with your spirit”. Chanted when the priest covers the
oblations with the Prosferin (altar cloth) to hide it from
being seen as a sign of Jesus’ disappearance and escape to
Egypt.
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Tai shoari:
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(Song of the
Virgin) “This is the censer of pure gold…” The censer
reminds us with the Virgin Mary who bore the blessed embers
of divinity in her viscera and the bush that Moses saw in
the desert which, though was on fire, it did not burn up.
During chanting this hymn, the priest turns around the altar
3 times and then around the congregation while carrying the
censer.
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Hiten ni:
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(The hymn of the
intercessions): A number of verses having nearly the same
repeated melody, where the congregation, through the
intercessions of His saints, beg with a constant response:
“O Lord, grant us the forgiveness of our sins”.
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Ee aghapi:
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The love of God
the Father, the grace of the Only-Begotten Son, our Lord and
the communion and gift of the Holy Spirit, be with our most
righteous father Papa Abba Shenouda…” The greatness of the
melody expresses the meaning where it is chanted in the
presence of the Pope after reading a chapter from the
Epistle of St. Paul.
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A pet jeek
evol:
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Called “The
Catholic Epistle Response” The hymn establishes the concept
of “Perfection and Blessing” through 2 different repeated
musical phrases, the first with several tunes and the second
with many words.
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Shere ne
Maria:
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“Hail to you,
Mary, the fair dove, who bore to us God the Logos (Word)”.
The hymn is characterized by the style of “Melisma” i.e.
“musical elongation”. Called: The Response of the Praxis”, a
Greek word meaning “a doing or acting”. Chanted before
reading a chapter of “Acts of the Apostles”.
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