Anaphora(Mass) of Theodore and  anaphora of Nestorius: Autenticity and Compilation

Anaphora(Mass) of Theodore and  anaphora of Nestorius: Autenticity and Compilation

Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako*

Translated by Msgr. Noel Farman Sanaty

These two liturgis , commonly, are practiced by the Chaldean Church, the Malabar Church as well as the Assyrian Church of the East , they are both practiced beside the order of the mass of Adai and Mary. This offers a rich variety in our eastern Apostolic Traditions of the Holy Mass.

Attribution of Second Mass Anaphora to Theodor

The second order of the mass, called in our eastern terminology as the

(Anaphora) (the first being the one of Adai and Mary) is traditionally attributed to Theodor of Mopsuestia (around the years 350-428).

Theodorus is considered as a prominent theologian of the Antiochian school. He wrote several books as well as homilies of Catechism . He was condemned by the Second Council of Constantinople (553) along with Theodorus of Tarsus and Theodorus of bishop of Cyrus for the fact of supporting the ideas of his disciple Nestorius. However, after his death ((428) many churches had declined condemning him. Theodorus is more

revered than Nestorius in the tradition of the Church of the East who considers him as the ’Greatest exegete’. He, in fact, reflects a unique stream of the early theological thought independent from the Byzantine influence.

Theodora’s of Mospuestia Heritage

The books of Theodorus of Mopsuestia, known as the Teacher, were the standard theological curriculum at the Nisibis school. His most important book is his homilies on catechism:

(TONNEAU, the catechism homilies of Theodore de Mopsuestia, Citta del Vaticano, 1949. ‘’Studi e Testi, 145’’.)

After I did compare the three orders of the mass and Theodore’s homilies, I can say for sure that the first draft of this Eucharistic Anaphora is coming directly from him. If it was compiled later by a student of his school. The  theological depth and structure of the anaphora still reflect his doctrinal framework. This order of the mass of Theodorus is applying an Eastern genre and is enriched by a noticeable Trinitarian theological depth. 

It begins with the opening dialogue and introduction ܩܘܪܒܢܐ ܢܩܪܒ ܠܐܠܗܐ ٰ, followed by the Trinitarian praise and thanksgiving for the creation and salvation. It recounts the history of salvation (the memory of Christ’s passion and resurrection), the invocation of the Holy Spirit and series of memorial intercessions, prayers of repentance and praise. This order reflects a positive Equilibrium, especially in its portrayal of Christ as a high priest who offers himself as a sacrifice, not only for remembrance, but as a constant presence in the sacrament of the Eucharist, aiming to nourish the life of the faithful. His teaching is an authentically Oriental theology with a theological and biblical precision embellished by a shining, refined Syriac-Chaldean language, at the extent that it is rarely found as a such without dealing with any quotation from other anaphoras.

We adopted this order of the mass after the renewal process by the Synods of 2019 and 2022. Liturgically, this order is used during the seasons of the Annunciation and from Lent until Palm Sunday.

The 3rd Anaphora and Nestorius

The third liturgical rite is traditionally attributed to Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople (386-451)

Nestorius was excommunicated and exiled by the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431 because of his insistence on calling the Virgin Mary the Mother of Christ (Christotokos) rather than the Mother of God (Theotokos). His books were burned, except the book attributed to him, “Bazaar of Heracleides”, written in exile, which has nothing to do with the liturgy.

This order of the mass is rather a long order and is not mentioned in Saint Isaiah’s (Mar Isha’ya) manuscript (10th century); while the Mass of the Apostles  and Nestorius? is mentioned . The Assyrians have eight, while the Eucharistic rites of Aday- Mary  and the Second Mass have four. Most of the bows of the  anaphoraof Theodore are adapted from the Second Mass; one of them is adapted from Aday and Mary mass. 

This order of the mass is quite a compilation, adopting imaginative style, repetition, and a poetically rhythmed verses. Its theology differs from the Mass of Aday and Mary and the second mass. I believe that this style goes back to the Patriarch Elijah III, known as Abu Halim (1176-1190). Because as we find the same ideas and loose style in the prayers attributed to him in the long prayers after the vigil ܩܠܐ̈ ܕܫܗܪܐ we find this on major festivities such as Christmas, Epiphany, Resurrection and the feast of the Holy Spirit. The reader is kindly referred to the breviary “ Hodhra ܚܘܕܪܐ” and compare it with the long bows in this very order. 

We also find in this rite the same styled procedure in the book entitled ‘Marvellous Biographies of the Turgame ) interpretations) Festivities – ٰ published in Arabic (Dominican Fathers Press, Mosul, 1873) under the title: ‘’Al tarajem Al Saniya li l A’yad al Maranya’’ . The author of the book might wanted to organize a special Eucharistic Rite specific to Nestorius similar to that of Theodorus. Nevertheless, there is an uncomparable difference between the two mentioned Eucharistic rites. Moreover, the fact of naming it under the name of Nestorius could be obviously seen as a honor’’ to Him after his excommunication and exile.

These Anaphora is  celebrated within five seasonal times every year:

iphany, St John Baptizer’s Memorial, the Memorial of the Greek Teachers, on Wednesday of Nineveh fasting and Holy Thursday. While in the manuscript of Saint Isaiah’s (Ma Ishaya) we find that this allocation is only for the Anaphora  of Nestorius.

When during the mass these rites are celebrated?

The three orders of the mass, called Anaphora, start after the Creed and end after the invocation of the Holy Spirit.

ܟܘܫܦ̈ܐ – the prayers of supplication are considered as late additions; it noticelbe that the priestly secret prayers, and the words of consecration are not mentioned in the editions of the Church of the East ‘’ as it is duly meant by their liturgy’’ . It was added later on by the Chaldeans.

I have considered the 10th century manuscript of the Church of Mar Ishaya ‘’Saint Isaiah’’, which mentions the Mass of the Apostles (Addai and Mary), the Mass of Nestorius and indicates that it was celebrated five times, while there is no mention of the order of Theodorus. 

Here is, for the care of the wise reader, a translated table of the two Eucharistic rites according to the relevant citations of prayers as per the hereafter original tableau in Chaldean and Arabic:

The first bow: ’We praise you, O Lord, for your abundant blessings (prayer extracted from Addai and Mary’s First Bow).

The second bow is extracted from the first bow of the second Mass ‘’Glory be to you…’’

‘’The grace of the Lord’’ canonical prayer: is the same in the Church of the East liturgy.

Lift up prayer… : the same

This sacrifice prayer…: the same

The prayer: The living sacrifice, shorten by Chaldeans, is the same as the printed version of the church of the East.

The third bow is different and long in its description.

The fourth bow: The same as prayer the third in the second Mass. “We also chant aloud’’ with few additions.

Fifth bow: Petitions for the memorial masses

Sixth bow: Petitions for memorial masses

Seventh bow (extracted literally from the Order of Aday and Mary) ‘’He deserves glory from all mouths’’.

Eighth bow: O Lord God Almighty… as long as it is.

Invocation of the Holy Spirit.

The sources I used in this presentation is based on the editions of the Eucharistic Liturgy of mass:

____________________________________________________

Chaldean edition, Dominican Fathers Press, Mosul 1901

The edition of Chorbishop Francis Alichoran with the French translation, Paris 1982

The new, updated edition, Baghdad 2020

Edition of the Assyrian Church of the East, California 1995

The Redemptorist Father Mansour: Oriental Anaphors 2018

Louis Sako, An Introductory Summary to the Chaldean Liturgy, Baghdad 2022

______________________________________________________________________

* We expressed our wish to have the English version of this article published previously in Arabic (link hereafter), and thus, to get reached by the mainly English speaking priests in our Chaldean dioceses abroad. as well as the specialized scholars. 

Link to the article published in Arabic in our Chaldean website: https://chaldeanpatriarchate.com/2025/04/05/%d9%82%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%b3-%d9%86%d8%b3%d8%b7%d9%88%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%88%d8%b3-%d9%88%d9%82%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%b3-%d8%ab%d9%8a%d9%88%d8%af%d9%88%d8%b1%d8%b3-%d8%a3%d8%b5%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a9-%d9%88%d8%aa/

ملاحظة: هذا الخبر Anaphora(Mass) of Theodore and  anaphora of Nestorius: Autenticity and Compilation نشر أولاً على موقع (البطريركية الكلدانية) ولا يتحمل موقعنا مضمونه بأي شكل من الأشكال. يمكنك الإطلاع على تفاصيل الخبر كما ورد من (مصدر الخبر)

عرضنا لكم أعلاه تفاصيل ومعلومات عن خبر Anaphora(Mass) of Theodore and  anaphora of Nestorius: Autenticity and Compilation . نأمل أن نكون قد تمكنا من إمدادك بكل التفاصيل والمعلومات عن هذا الخبر الذي نشر في موقعنا في قسم أخبار مسيحية. ومن الجدير بالذكر بأن فريق التحرير قام بنقل الخبر وربما قام بالتعديل عليه أو الاقتباس منه ويمكنك قراءة ومتابعة تطورات هذا الخبر من المصدر.