Recent Bulletin Sermons

Series on the Mass, Part 12: Kyrie Eleison, conclusion
Dec. 8, 2019

At one time there were many tropes, which were musical/lyrical embellishments, added to the Mass. One of these took the form of adding words and melodies to the Kyrie. An example that we still have is the Kyrie fons bonitatis which has a beautiful melody with the following words added (I am just giving the first line but there were nine such verses):

Kyrie, fons bonitatis, Pater ingenite, a quo bona cuncta procedunt, eleison.
Lord, font of goodness, Father ungenerated, from whom all good things proceed, have mercy.

Each letter of the verse had a Gregorian note that was sung, giving a beautiful melody. When the Church put a stop to the embellishments and adding words to the Mass, the extra words were dropped leaving the melody that we now call Kyrie II, for Solemn Feast Days. The melody is still there, but the only words remaining are the Greek words for Lord have mercy. If one looks at the different Kyriales, one will notice many have titles as well as numbers. The titles are usually from the words that were dropped.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Charles Van Vliet, FSSP
Pastor, Regina Caeli Parish