All Topics  
Sursum corda

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Sursum corda
 
 
  Topics Sursum corda Topic Home

The Sursum Corda (Latin for "Lift up your hearts") is the opening dialogue to the Preface
Preface (liturgy)

In liturgical use the term Preface is applied to that portion of the Eucharistic Prayer that immediately precedes the Canon_of_the_Mass or central portion of the Eucharist ....
 of the Eucharistic Prayer or Anaphora
Anaphora

In rhetoric, an anaphora is emphasizing words by repeating them at the beginnings of neighboring clauses. In contrast, an Epistrophe is repeating words at the clauses' ends....
 in the liturgies of the Christian Church, dating back to the third century and the Anaphora of Hippolytus
Anaphora of Hippolytus

The Anaphora of Hippolytus is arguably the oldest known complete Eucharistic prayer or communion liturgy, having been written in the early to mid 3rd century by Hippolytus of Rome....
. The dialogue is recorded in the earliest liturgies of the Christian Church, and is found universally in almost all ancient rites.
Latin Rite
The full text in Latin is:



There are some minor deviations in English translations from the Latin.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Sursum corda'
Start a new discussion about 'Sursum corda'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The Sursum Corda (Latin for "Lift up your hearts") is the opening dialogue to the Preface
Preface (liturgy)

In liturgical use the term Preface is applied to that portion of the Eucharistic Prayer that immediately precedes the Canon_of_the_Mass or central portion of the Eucharist ....
 of the Eucharistic Prayer or Anaphora
Anaphora

In rhetoric, an anaphora is emphasizing words by repeating them at the beginnings of neighboring clauses. In contrast, an Epistrophe is repeating words at the clauses' ends....
 in the liturgies of the Christian Church, dating back to the third century and the Anaphora of Hippolytus
Anaphora of Hippolytus

The Anaphora of Hippolytus is arguably the oldest known complete Eucharistic prayer or communion liturgy, having been written in the early to mid 3rd century by Hippolytus of Rome....
. The dialogue is recorded in the earliest liturgies of the Christian Church, and is found universally in almost all ancient rites.

Latin Rite


The full text in Latin is:

  • Priest: Dominus vobiscum.
  • People: Et cum spiritu tuo.
  • Priest: Sursum corda.
  • People: Habemus ad Dominum.
  • Priest: Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
  • People: Dignum et iustum est.


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

  • Priest: The Lord be with you.
  • People: And also with you.
  • Priest: Lift up your hearts.
  • People: We lift them up to the Lord.
  • Priest: 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:

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


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

The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names, is a Christianity sacrament commemorating, by consecrating bread and wine, the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest, and eventual crucifixion, when he gave them bread saying, "This is my body", and wine...
ic celebrations.

The Sursum Corda is also found in the Exultet
Exultet

The Exultet is the traditional Western Rite hymn of praise intoned by the deacon during the Easter Vigil. In the absence of a deacon, it may be intoned by the priest, or by the Cantor ....
 during the Easter Vigil
Easter Vigil

The Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a service held in many Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus....
, where the dialogue is led not by the chief celebrant, but by the deacon
Deacon

Deacon is a role in the Christianity that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions....
.

Eastern Rites


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
    Altar

    An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religion, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place....
    ):     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
John Chrysostom

'Saint John Chrysostom' , archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in Sermon and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St....
 and the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

Oriental Orthodox


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.

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
    Sign of the cross

    The Sign of the Cross is a ritual hand motion made by members of most but not all branches of Christianity. It may be accompanied by the trinitarian formula....
     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
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is an Oriental Orthodoxy church in Ethiopia that was part of the Coptic Christianity until 1959, when it was granted its own Patriarch by List of Coptic Popes, Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria....
, will have variations on the Sursum Corda, depending upon the particular Anaphora used.

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.


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.


See also

  • Canon of the Mass
    Canon of the Mass

    Canon of the Mass is the name given in the Roman Missal, from the first typical edition of Pope Pius V in 1570 to that of Pope John XXIII in 1962, to the part of the Mass of the Roman Rite that begins after the Sanctus with the words Te igitur....
  • Divine Liturgy
    Divine Liturgy

    The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine church tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches....
  • Holy Qurbana
    Holy Qurbana

    Holy Qurbana or Qurbana Qadisha , the "Holy Offering" or "Holy Sacrifice", refers to the Divine Liturgy as celebrated according to the Chaldean and Syriac Christian Christian liturgy, the former by the Syro-Malabar Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, and the latter by the Syriac Orthodox Church, Syro-Malankara Catholic Church,...
  • Anaphora
    Anaphora

    In rhetoric, an anaphora is emphasizing words by repeating them at the beginnings of neighboring clauses. In contrast, an Epistrophe is repeating words at the clauses' ends....
  • Christian liturgy
    Christian liturgy

    A liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship. Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used by a Christian congregation or Christian denomination on a regular basis....