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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

Divine Liturgy - Litanies

A "litany" is a form of prayer using short petitions and a response.

In the Divine Liturgy there are at least seven Litanies.

• Litany of Peace at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy
• "Little Litanies" after the singing of the antiphons
• Ecumenic / Ekteny Litany after the homily and before the Prayers of the Faithful
• Aetesis / Aitesis Litany after the Great Entrance

There can be more Litanies.

• When adults preparing for Baptism are present, a special "Litany of the Catechumens" is said.
• When a special commemoration for the dead, such as a 40-day memorial, is said the "Litany of the Dead" is said.

A priest or deacon sings the petitions of each litany. The people sing the response. Usually, the response is:

• "Lord have mercy" / "Kyrie Elieson" / "Ya Rabb-urham"
• "Grant this, O Lord."

Often at the almost end of a Litany, a priest or deacon sings: "Remembering our all-holy, spotless, most highly blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God." The people sing the response. "To You, O Lord" / "Si, Kyrie" / "Laka Ya Rabb".

Each litany concludes with a prayer - sometimes recited silently by the priest - ending with the words "Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever", to which we respond "Amen" / "Amin".

Litanies in Greek

Litany of Peace
A priest or deacon: "In peace, let us pray to the Lord" /"en irini, tou kyriou dheithomen"
People repond: "Lord have mercy" / "Ya Rabb-urham" / "Kyrie Elieson."

Aitesis Litany
A priest or deacon: "Let us ask the Lord" / "para tou kyriou etisometha"
People repond: "Grant this, O Lord" / "Istajeb, ya rabb", "Paraskhou, kyrie"

More Information

Primer for Melkite Worship and Ritual by Reverend Father / Abouna Philaret Littlefield Material for inclusion in the St. George Melkite (Byzantine) Greek Catholic Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States Sunday Bulletin

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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