Kyrie eleison

American  

[keer-ee-ay e-lay-uh-sawn, -son, -suhn, kee-ree-e e-le-ee-sawn] / ˈkɪər iˌeɪ ɛˈleɪ əˌsɔn, -ˌsɒn, -sən, ˈki ri ɛ ɛˈlɛ i sɔn /

noun

1. (italics) the brief petition “Lord, have mercy,” used in various offices of the Greek Orthodox Church and of the Roman Catholic Church.

2. the brief response or petition in services in the Anglican Church, beginning with the words, “Lord, have mercy upon us.”

3. Also called Kyrie. a musical setting of either of these.

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Kyrie eleison British  

/ ˈkɪrɪɪ əˈleɪsən /

noun

1. a formal invocation used in the liturgies of the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Anglican Churches

2. a musical setting of this

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Etymology

Origin of Kyrie eleison

1300–50; Middle English kyrieleyson < Medieval Latin, Late Latin Kyrie eleīson < Late Greek Kýrie eléēson Lord, have mercy

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Kyrie eleison

From the majestic opening statement of the Kyrie eleison the bloom and richness of the choral sound gloriously resonated within Carnegie Hall.

From New York Times ● Mar. 8, 2012

Mr. Suzuki’s approach was clear from the opening Kyrie eleison, which begins with the chorus, fortified by the orchestra, singing anguished cries of “Lord, have mercy.”

From New York Times ● Mar. 23, 2011

With elegiac melancholy, Beckett intones a Kyrie eleison without God.

From Time Magazine Archive

A golden cross, in lieu of a standard, was towering above the lances, and the "Kyrie eleison," was now heard quite plainly.

From Ekkehard. Vol. I (of II) A Tale of the Tenth Century by Joseph Victor von Scheffel

Aunt Isabel fell on her knees and prayed the Kyrie eleison.

From Friars and Filipinos An Abridged Translation of Dr. Jose Rizal's Tagalog Novel, 'Noli Me Tangere.' by José Rizal

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