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T
he Divine Liturgy of St. James the Brother of God is the first apostolic liturgy. The liturgies of St.
John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great were based on it and replaced it, according to St. Nico-
demus the Hagiorite.1 Today, it is celebrated only on October 23rd, the feast day of St. James.
The music for the hymn “Only-begotten Son” (page 113), the responses of the petitions (“Lord, have
mercy”) (pages 83-107), the Thrice-holy Hymn (pages 152-163), and the “Alleluia” (pages 176-193) fol-
lowing the epistle reading are identical to those used in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
Between the epistle and gospel readings, there is a set of petitions intoned by the deacon. The re-
sponse for each petition is “Lord, have mercy,” except for the final petition, which has the response
“Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” After the gospel reading, the deacon intones
another set of petitions. The response to the first five petitions is a single “Lord, have mercy,” the re-
sponse to the next six is “Grant this, O Lord,” and the response to the final petition of the deacon is “To
Thee, O Lord.” The cherubic hymn for the Divine Liturgy of St. James is the cherubic hymn of Holy Sat-
urday: “Let All Mortal Flesh” (see page 260).
After the creed and the deacon’s petitions: “Let us love one another with a holy kiss… Let us bow our
heads unto the Lord,” the priest chants the hymn: “O magnify the Lord with me…” (see page 577) Imme-
diately thereafter, the choir responds with the hymn: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee…” (see page
578).
The responses for the anaphora are identical to the anaphora in the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
(see pages 266-328), with the difference that there are eighteen petitions with the response, “Lord, have
1
Vid. The Rudder, p. xxvii. St. Nicodemus the Hagiorite probably relied on the validity of a treatise (PG 45:849-
852) attributed to St. Proclus (d. 446). Later scholars, however, (e.g., Swainson, C.A., The Greek Liturgies, Cam-
bridge 1884, and Brightman, F.E., Liturgies Eastern and Western I, Eastern Liturgies, Oxford, 1896) question the
validity of these statements and ascribe that treatise to a much later writer. Moreover, they believe that the Liturgy
of St. James developed independently of and simultaneously with the other liturgies. (See also Fountouv-
lh, !Iwavnnou M., !Apanthvsei" eij" Leitourgika;" !Aporiva", Tovmo" DV, !Apostolikh; Diakoniva, !Aqhvna, 1994, sel.
49-50, and Conomos, Dimitri E., Byzantine Trisagia and Cheroubika of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries,
pp. 13-18.)
576 Liturgy of St. James - Rubrics
mercy” and then one petition with the response, “Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have
mercy.” preceding the petitions “Through the compassions…, Peace be unto all…, Let us stand well…,”
etc.
At the consecration of the Holy Gifts, the deacon intones the petition “We believe and confess.”
Then, instead of chanting “We hymn Thee…,” the choir chants the hymn: “We proclaim Thy death…”
(see page 579). The priest then chants the hymn: “For Thy people…” (see page 579), and the choir re-
sponds by repeating three times the hymn: “Have mercy on us…” (see page 580).
While the priest reads the long prayer “We offer unto Thee, O Master…,” the choir quietly repeats
many times the hymn: “Remember them, O Lord our God” (see pages 581-582). When the priest com-
pletes that prayer, he intones the petition: “Especially our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed…,” and the
choir chants the hymn “Remember them…” for the last time with a different melody (see pages 582-583).
After the petition “Grant unto us and them…,” the choir chants the hymn: “Pardon, remit, and for-
give…” (see pages 584-585).
Following the deacon’s petition: “In the peace of Christ let us chant unto the Lord,” the clergy receive
communion. According to Athonite rubrics, at this point in the liturgy (whether it be the Liturgy of St.
John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, St. James, or the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts), the reader
reads the pre-communon prayers: “I believe, O Lord, and I confess…,” “Behold, I approach…,” “Receive
me today…,” Tremble, O man…,” “Thou hast smitten me…,” “Into the splendour…,” “O man-
befriending Master…,” and again “Receive me today….” The reader then reads Psalms 33 (“I will bless
the Lord…”) and 144 (“I will exalt Thee…”). After the reader has completed these two psalms, the choir
chants the communion hymn from the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts: “O Taste and See…” (see pages
566-570).
While the faithful receive communion, the choir repeats the hymn: “Receive me today…” (see pages
494-500).
After the faithful have received communion, the choir chants the hymn: “Fill my mouth with Thy
praise…” (see page 586).
According to Athonite rubrics, at the end of every liturgy in which the faithful received communion,
the reader reads the thanskgiving prayers for holy communion while the priest distributes the antidoron.
Only-Begotten Son
Second Mode
adapted from traditional melody
160
lo -
ry
ƒƒto
ƒthe
ƒƒFa - and
ƒ- ƒther,
ƒto
ƒthe
ƒSon,
and
to
the
ƒHo -
- ly
ƒƒSpir -
-
- it.
B ƒoth
ƒnow
ƒƒand
ev -
-
ƒer, un -
and ƒto
ƒthē
ƒa -
ƒ- ges ƒƒa - ƒƒ-
of
ges.
A -
ƒmen.
n -
ƒƒGod,
Thou Who
O ƒly -
be -
ƒgot -
ten
ƒSon
ƒand ƒƒWord of__Ì ƒart
ƒim -
-
- -
ƒƒmor -
ƒƒtal,
ƒƒand didst con -
ƒƒde - ƒscend for
our
sal
- va -
- -
tion
Liturgy of St. James - Only-begotten Son
ƒto
beƒ-ƒcome ƒin -
car - -
ƒƒnate ƒƒof the
ƒƒho - -
ƒly ƒTheƒ-ƒƒo ƒto -
- ƒƒkos and
ƒƒev - er -
ƒVirƒ-ƒgin Mar - -
ƒy,
change
withƒƒ-ƒƒout
be-com-ing ƒWho
man, wast
cru -
ƒci -
fied,
O Christ our
ƒGod,
by___ÌÌdeath down
tram-pling up
- on______ƒdeath,
-
i -
ƒty,
glo -
ƒThou___ Who ƒƒart__ÌÌ ƒone ƒƒof ƒƒthe Ho - ly ƒTrin -
ƒƒriƒ-ƒfied_Ì̃with ƒthe
and
Fa - -
ther ƒwith
the
ƒHo -
ƒly
Spir -
-
- -
ƒit,
save_____ÌÌ ƒus._
ƒƒ_______Ì
Let All Mortal Flesh
Keep Silence
Cherubic Hymn for Holy Saturday
Plagal First Mode
by Iakovos the Protopsaltis (d. 1800)
adapted from the interpretation by Athanasios Karamanis (1911- )
Duration: 7:00 + 1:30
66
et ƒƒmor -
ƒƒall -
- -
-
-
-
-
- - -
- - -
- - -
- -
-
-
- - - -
-
-
-
- tal
- let
all
mor -
Liturgy of St. James - Cherubic Hymn
- -
tal___ flesh si
keep____________ - - -
lence______________ and
stand_______________________________________
with________________ÌÌ ƒfear_
- - -
- - -
ƒbling,__
and___
take____________________________
no____
________________________thought
for____ ƒƒan - -
- earth
- y___ - -
-
- - - -
-
ly________
thing,_______________________________ ƒfor
the
ƒƒKing________ of______ kings,
and______ the
Lord_____
of___________________
ap-
lords
- -
proach - - - -
- -
eth_________ ƒƒƒto
be______
-
slaugh- -
- -
-
- - -
ƒƒtered_
ƒƒand___Ì ƒgiv-
- en
- - food_
ƒas
__________________ ƒƒthe____Ì
ƒfor_____________________
faith -
- - -
- - -
Liturgy of St. James - Cherubic Hymn
ful._____________Ì ƒBe -
ƒƒfore_________________
ƒHim____________________
_______________ go
choirs____________________________________
ƒthe___Ì
of_______ an -
the - -
- -
- -
- -
- - -
gels______________Ì
with___
all__________________ thor -
au - - - i - -
- ƒty_______Ì and
- - -
pow- - --- -
-ƒƒer:_____________________________________Ì
T
he
man -
y - -
eyed____ÌÌCheƒ-ƒru
ƒand
ƒƒbim________ ƒƒthe
ƒsix -
-
-
-
- ƒwinged_____ ƒSer -
-
- ƒƒa - -
ƒphim,_________
which -
cov - -
*
-
er____
their________ fa -
-
- -
- ƒces
- and
cry______
Liturgy of St. James - Cherubic Hymn
* Alternate melody:
and
ƒcry___________
ƒƒout___Ì
ƒthe______
O Magnify the Lord
Chanted by the priest soon after the Creed
Grave Mode
adapted from Abraham Efthymiadis (1911- )
80
ƒƒ
ƒmagƒƒ-ƒni - -
ƒfy ƒthe
ƒƒwith____________Ì
ƒLord__________Ì
ƒƒme,_____ÌÌ
ƒand
ƒƒlet
us
exƒƒ-ƒƒalt_______ÌÌ ƒHis
name_____
geth -
ƒto - -
- -
ƒer.______
578 Liturgy of St. James - O Magnify the Lord
T
ƒƒhe
Ho -
-
ƒƒly
ƒSpir -
- - - ƒcome____Ì
- it______̃shall__
ƒup - -
on___________ÌÌ
ƒƒthee,_____ ƒand
the
ƒpow - of
er
ƒthe___Ì
ƒMost________
_____ƒHigh
ƒƒshall___ o-
- ƒver
ƒshad -
- -
- - -
-
ƒow___________Ì
thee._____
Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col. 3:16
We Proclaim Thy Death
Chanted instead of "We hymn Thee"
at the consecration of the Holy Gifts
72
ƒe Thy
proƒƒ-ƒƒclaim death,____ÌÌ
ƒƒLord,
ƒO____
ƒand___Ì
ƒwe______Ì
____________ ƒƒcon-
- -
- fess____̃Thy__Ì ƒres -
- -ƒur -ƒƒrec - - - tion._
-
130
Then the priest chants:
ƒƒor
Thy
ƒpeo - - - ƒple
and______Ì̃ƒThy_ÌÌChurch_________ÌÌ ƒsup -
ƒƒpli -
100
ƒave
*
et ƒƒmer - -
ƒƒcy
on
ƒƒus,
O
ƒGod,
Lord our__Ì
ƒO_
ƒFa
__ - -
ƒther
Al -
might-
- - -
ƒy.
* Finale:
ƒƒO____Ì Fa -- ther
Al - might -
- -
ƒy._____________
Remember Them,
O Lord our God
Repeated quietly while the priest reads
the long prayer: "We offer unto Thee, O Master"
72
ƒe -
mem -
ƒber them,__
ƒO__________ÌLord_________ÌÌ
O___
Alternate Melody
R
ƒƒe -
ƒmemƒƒ-ƒƒber
them,_
ƒƒO________________Ì Lord
ƒO___ our_
ƒLord________
____Ì
God.________________________
582 Liturgy of St. James - Remember Them, O Lord our God
Another Melody
adapted from Abraham Efthymiadis (1911- )
R
e - ƒƒƒmem
- -
-ƒƒber___
them,________
ƒO_______ ƒour__Ì
ƒƒLord______ÌÌ
God,
ƒO___ ƒƒour___
ƒLord_____________ÌÌ
ƒGod.__________________ÌÌ
the choir chants either of the following two melodies once:
R
e - mem
- ƒƒber__Ì
ƒthem,_ÌÌ
ƒƒO__________̃ƒLord____ ƒƒGod,___
ƒour________Ì
____Ì
ƒƒO________ÌÌ our_________Ì
ƒLord____________
ƒƒGod.________________________
_________________Ì
Liturgy of St. James - Remember Them, O Lord our God 583
Alternate Melody
adapted from Abraham Efthymiadis (1911- )
R
e - ƒmem
- -
ƒber
ƒƒthem,__Ì O
ƒƒLord___________________ÌÌ O_ÌÌ
______________ÌÌ
Lord______ƒour________Ì God,
ƒO____
ƒƒLord_____̃our_____ÌÌ
God._
__
with great care to God, Who looks into the hidden recesses
of the heart, i.e., into the psalmody and prayer that are done
80
ar - don, ƒƒƒre -
ƒƒmit,__________ÌÌ
ƒand ƒƒforƒ-ƒƒgive,___
ƒƒO___ ƒGod,
ƒour
ƒof -
fen - - - ƒces,
ƒboth ƒvol -
un - -
tar - - -
-ƒƒy____Ì ƒƒand
ƒin -
ƒƒvol - -
ƒƒun -
ƒtar -
- - -
ƒƒy,
ƒƒin knowl-edge____Ì ƒƒig - - ƒƒno
ƒand -
Liturgy of St. James - Pardon, Remit, and Forgive 585
Alternate Version
adapted from Abraham Efthymiadis (1911- )
Second Mode
P ar -
-
- -
ƒdon,__ re -
-
mit,_______________________Ì ƒand
for -
ƒ-
give,___
ƒO___ ƒour__Ì
ƒGod,_____Ì ƒƒof - -
-
fen - - -
-
- ƒƒces,___Ì
ƒboth
ƒvol -
ƒƒun - -
tar -
- - - - -
ƒƒy
and___Ì in - -
- -
vol - - -
ƒun -
ƒtar - - y,
-
in___ knowl
- -
edge___
and___________ ƒig -
- -
- -
ƒno
-
- - -
ƒƒrance.__________Ì
Fill My Mouth
with Thy Praise
Chanted by the choir after
the faithful have received communion
Plagal First Mode
170
ill
ƒmy
mouth__Ì with
ƒƒThy ƒƒpraise, ƒO
Lord, -
and ƒim bue
my lips
ƒƒwith
ƒƒjoy, ƒI
ƒso that ƒmay
ƒhymn
Thy ƒgloƒ-ƒƒry.
Liturgy of St. James - Fill My Mouth 587
Alternate Melody
Second Mode
F ill
ƒƒmy ƒmouth
with ƒƒThy
ƒƒpraise,__ ƒO
ƒLord,
ƒand
im -
ƒbue my
lips ƒwith
ƒjoy, so
ƒthat
ƒI
may ƒhymn
ƒThy ƒglo - -
ƒƒry.
We thank Thee, O Christ our God, for Thou hast counted us worthy
to partake of Thy body and blood unto remission of sins and eternal life.
Since Thou art good and lovest mankind, keep us without condemnation, we pray.
O Taste and See
First Mode
adapted from Hieromonk Gregory
of Simonos Petras Monastery
Duration: 1:00
76
O
_____________________________
taste______________________________Ì
and______________ see
that
the
ƒLord__________________________________
ƒƒthat
ƒƒthe
ƒLord__________________________Ì
is___ƒƒgood. ƒAl -
ƒle -
ƒlu -
-
- -
-
i -
- --
-
- a.________________________________Ì
O Taste and See
Communion Hymn
Duration: 4:30
First Mode "Tetraphonic"
(or 3:00 if
adapted from John Kladas the Lampadarios (second half of 14th century)
abbreviated)
abbreviated by John the Protopsaltis from Trebizond (d. 1770)
70
________________________Ì
and________________________________________ O
[
O Taste and See - First Mode 567
ƒO_______
ƒƒtaste___________________________________________________Ì
]
ƒand_
__Ì
ƒƒthat__________ÌÌ
ƒsee____________________________________________________Ì
_______________________________________________Ì
that_____ the
Lord______Ì ƒƒis_Ì
568 O Taste and See - First Mode
ƒƒlu - -
ƒƒgood.
_______ Al -
ƒle - -
- - - - i- - - - - - - -
O Taste and See
Fourth Mode
adapted from Hieromonk Gregory Duration: 1:00
of Simonos Petras Monastery
76
O
_________________
taste___________Ì
ƒand____________Ì see
ƒƒthat______
____Ì
the________________
Lord________________________Ì ƒƒthat
the
ƒLord_Ì
__Ì
ƒis_______________Ì
good._______________________________ Al -
le -
ƒƒlu -
- - -
- - i - -
-
- -
-
- a.____________________________________
________