You, O Lord, in your unspeakable mercies make a gracious remembrance for all the upright and just fathers who have been pleasing before you in the commemoration of the body and blood of your Christ which we offer to you upon the pure and holy altar as you have taught us. And grant us your tranquility and your peace all the days of the world
The Anaphora of Addai and Mari is considered the oldest known Eucharistic anaphora still in use today, particularly amongst Nestorians and Eastern Catholic Chaldean and Syro-Malabar Rites. A form of it also exists in the Maronite Sharar.
The following posts will look at some aspects of this ancient Liturgical prayer in the following sequence :
1)Manuscript Traditions
2)Missing Institution Narrative?
3)Institution Narrative Missing
4)Institution Narrative Reconsidered
5)Problem of methodology
The Anaphora of Addai and Mari is considered the oldest known Eucharistic anaphora still in use today, particularly amongst Nestorians and Eastern Catholic Chaldean and Syro-Malabar Rites. A form of it also exists in the Maronite Sharar.
The following posts will look at some aspects of this ancient Liturgical prayer in the following sequence :
1)Manuscript Traditions
2)Missing Institution Narrative?
3)Institution Narrative Missing
4)Institution Narrative Reconsidered
5)Problem of methodology
Manuscripts
Today, all manuscripts containing the Anaphora of Addai and Mari(
These manuscripts are currently divided into these streams
Hudra : Nestorian Liturgical text
Alqosh : Nestorian Liturgical texts that show no Roman influence
Webb B : Texts collated by Webb that are classified as preserving older Syrian ritual and are archaic.
Chaldean : Texts belonging to the faction of the Nestorians that come into Communion with Rome in 1552
Malabar : Texts belonging to the Malabar Church in India, today in Union with Rome.
Today, all manuscripts containing the Anaphora of Addai and Mari(
AM) can be divided into Nestorian, Chaldean and Syro-Malabar traditions. Currently there are around 86 known manuscripts, collated by William F Macomber (1966) and Douglas Webb (1967-68). Amongst these the oldest date to the 10th cent.These manuscripts are currently divided into these streams
Hudra : Nestorian Liturgical text
Alqosh : Nestorian Liturgical texts that show no Roman influence
Webb B : Texts collated by Webb that are classified as preserving older Syrian ritual and are archaic.
Chaldean : Texts belonging to the faction of the Nestorians that come into Communion with Rome in 1552
Malabar : Texts belonging to the Malabar Church in India, today in Union with Rome.
Institution Narrative Missing
As stated, most scholars today consider
Patristic testimonies of the Eucharistic liturgy also does not lend to any indication that an Institution Narrative is present. Taking St Justin Martyr's 1st Apology as an example, 66.3 might seem to indicate that there would be an Institution Narrative present as he refers to the Gospels and command Jesus gave at the Last Supper, "Do this in memory of me". However there is an uncertainty given the indication of extempore prayer in 67.5 where the Bishop(President) is to offer prayer and thanksgiving, "to the best of his ability".
Turning to the Manuscripts themselves, the oldest text known to contain
During the mid 16th cent., there was growing discontent that the Patriarchate was kept to a single family line. This position was handed down from uncle to nephew. In protest to this, Mar John Simon Sulaqua was elected. In order to secure his election as Patriarch, a move was made that would see the Nestorian church restored to communion with Rome. In 1553, he was consecrated Patriarch by Pope Julius iii, a move that will cause a permanent rift in the Nestorian church.
The faction loyal to Rome would become the Chaldean Catholics today. The faction that rebelled against this would become the Nestorian church today, or the Assyrian Church of the East. During this time, changes in the Liturgy would occur, with Chaldeans simplifying it and Nestorians using a more complex form of it.
In India, following the Synod of Diamper in 1599 under the Portuguese Aleixo de Menezes, Latinazation in the Malabar rite began, with the first Latin Rite bishop for the Nasranis in India, Francisco Roz SJ inserting the Institution Narrative into the Liturgy.
With these in mind, liturgists generally conclude, there is no Institution Narrative in
As stated, most scholars today consider
AM to lack an Institution Narrative. Such a thing would not be implausible in light of documents like the Didache and Strasbourg Papyrus Gr.254, both being key witnesses to Pre Nicene Eucharistic prayers. Both lack an institution narrative. The Prayer of St Polycarp, recorded in his martyrdom, commonly taken as being patterned after Eucharistic prayer also lacks anything of this sort.Patristic testimonies of the Eucharistic liturgy also does not lend to any indication that an Institution Narrative is present. Taking St Justin Martyr's 1st Apology as an example, 66.3 might seem to indicate that there would be an Institution Narrative present as he refers to the Gospels and command Jesus gave at the Last Supper, "Do this in memory of me". However there is an uncertainty given the indication of extempore prayer in 67.5 where the Bishop(President) is to offer prayer and thanksgiving, "to the best of his ability".
Turning to the Manuscripts themselves, the oldest text known to contain
AM, the Mar Esh'aya codex and 12th cent Hudra lack the Institution Narrative. Vat. syr. 66, belonging to the Chaldean tradition has it present, but it is clearly an insertion as it was written on a separate leaf. Most likely, this was added by Mar Joseph Sulaqua in 1566. This testifies to a significant moment in Nestorian history. During the mid 16th cent., there was growing discontent that the Patriarchate was kept to a single family line. This position was handed down from uncle to nephew. In protest to this, Mar John Simon Sulaqua was elected. In order to secure his election as Patriarch, a move was made that would see the Nestorian church restored to communion with Rome. In 1553, he was consecrated Patriarch by Pope Julius iii, a move that will cause a permanent rift in the Nestorian church.
The faction loyal to Rome would become the Chaldean Catholics today. The faction that rebelled against this would become the Nestorian church today, or the Assyrian Church of the East. During this time, changes in the Liturgy would occur, with Chaldeans simplifying it and Nestorians using a more complex form of it.
In India, following the Synod of Diamper in 1599 under the Portuguese Aleixo de Menezes, Latinazation in the Malabar rite began, with the first Latin Rite bishop for the Nasranis in India, Francisco Roz SJ inserting the Institution Narrative into the Liturgy.
With these in mind, liturgists generally conclude, there is no Institution Narrative in
AM.