The Order of Mass
The one Greek prayer kept in the Latin Mass
Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
SourceThe Order of Mass · The one Greek prayer kept in the Latin Mass
“Kyrie eleison” is Greek: “Lord, have mercy”. It is the cry of the blind man of Jericho and of the Canaanite woman in the Gospel. In the Eastern Churches it was the people's response to litanies of petitions; from there it passed to the West around the fifth century and entered the Roman Mass, keeping its Greek.
In the traditional Mass it is sung nine times — three “Kyrie”, three “Christe”, three “Kyrie” — which tradition links to the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity. In the current form, each invocation is usually said twice.
“Lord, have mercy.” “Christe eleison” is “Christ, have mercy”.
Because it came from the Eastern liturgies, which were in Greek. When it entered the Roman Mass, around the fifth century, it was kept in its original language.
Nine times in the traditional Latin Mass; in the current form, usually six.