Sursum corda

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This article is about an element of Christian worship, for the cooperative housing development in Washington, D.C., see Sursum Corda Cooperative.

The Sursum Corda (Latin for "Lift up your hearts") is the opening dialogue to the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer or Anaphora in the liturgies of the Christian Church, dating back to the third century and the Anaphora of Hippolytus. The dialogue is recorded in the earliest liturgies of the Christian Church, and is found universally in almost all ancient rites.

It is also the family motto of the Howsams. A surname deriving from the Scottish surname, Howson.

Contents

[edit] Latin Rite

There are some minor deviations in English translations from the Latin. In contemporary English, the dialogue typically runs as follows:

  • Presider:[1] The Lord be with you.
  • People: And also with you.
  • Presider: Lift up your hearts.
  • People: We lift them to the Lord.
  • Presider: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
  • People: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

In traditional English translations, which are closer to the original Latin texts, the dialogue is translated as:

  • Presider: The Lord be with you.
  • People: And with thy spirit.
  • Presider: Lift up your hearts.
  • People: We lift them up unto the Lord.
  • Presider: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
  • People: It is meet and right so to do.

Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, United Methodist, and other denominations use the Sursum Corda in their Eucharistic celebrations.

The Sursum Corda is also found in the Exultet during the Easter Vigil, where the dialogue is led not by the chief celebrant, but by the deacon.

[edit] Eastern Rites

[edit] Byzantine

After the Kiss of peace and the Creed:

  • Priest: Let us stand well. Let us stand in awe. Let us be attentive, that we may present the holy offering in peace.
  • Choir: Mercy and peace, a sacrifice of praise.
  • Priest (blessing the people with his hand): The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be you all.
  • Choir: And with thy spirit.
  • Priest (raising his hands upward): Priest: Let us lift up our hearts.
  • Choir: We lift them up unto the Lord.
  • Priest (turning towards the Holy Table): Let us give thanks to the Lord.
  • Choir: It is proper and right.

This is the format used in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Churches, for both the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

[edit] Oriental Orthodox

[edit] Syriac Orthodox (Anaphora of St. James)

  • The celebrant, placing his left hand on the altar, turns toward the people and blesses them, saying: The love of God the Father +, the grace of the Only-begotten Son + and the fellowship and descent of the Holy Spirit + be with you all, my brethren, forever.
  • People: Amen. And with your spirit.
  • The celebrant, extending and elevating his hands, says aloud: Upward, where Christ sits on the right hand of God the Father, let our thoughts, minds and hearts be at this hour.
  • People: They are with the Lord God.
  • Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord in awe.
  • People: It is meet and right.

The various Anaphoras will have slight differences.

[edit] Coptic (Liturgy of St. Basil)

  • Priest (he places a napkin on his left hand, in his right hand he takes the napkin which was over the Lamb; he makes the sign of the cross three times — the first time, the priest turns to the west, blessing the congregation, making the sign of the cross): The Lord be with you all.
  • Congregation: And with your spirit.
  • Priest (the second time, he turns toward east, blesses the deacons to his right, making the sign of the cross): Lift up your hearts.
  • Congregation: They are with the Lord.
  • Priest (the third time, he turns toward east, he blesses himself, making the sign of the cross): Let us give thanks to the Lord.
  • Congregation: Worthy and right.

Like the Syriac, the Coptic, especially the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, will have variations on the Sursum Corda, depending upon the particular Anaphora used.

[edit] Armenian Rite

  • Priest: The grace, the love and the divine sanctifying power of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
  • Choir: Amen, and with Thy spirit.
  • Deacon: The doors, the doors. With all wisdom and good heed. Lift up your minds in reverence of God.
  • Choir: We lift them up unto Thee, O Lord Almighty.
  • Deacon: And give thanks unto God, the Lord, with the whole heart.
  • Choir: It is meet and right.

[edit] Assyrian Church of the East (Holy Qurbana of Mar Addai and Mari)

  • Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now, always, and for ever and ever. And he makes the sign of the cross over the Mysteries.
  • People: Amen.
  • Priest: Let your minds be above.
  • People: With you, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Israel, O glorious King.
  • Priest: The oblation is offered to God, the Lord of all.
  • People: It is meet and right.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ The "Presider" or "President" may be either a priest or bishop, depending upon whom the chief celebrant at the service is.

[edit] See also