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ing and diligence should have made such a mistake; but a simple inspection is enough to refute him. The order is perfectly different. Renaudot indeed remarks elsewhere, that these Anaphora of Basil and Mark do not agree, from whence he infers, that St. Mark's was not the common canon of the old Alexandrian rite, but belonged to some particular church. And the proof which he brings for Basil's liturgy having been the canon of the Alexandrian church (at least after the conquest of Egypt by the Mahommedans) is, that it accords with the Ethiopic general canon, which is nothing but "a liberal version of Basil's Coptic liturgy"." It is scarcely necessary to refute this, because all that it attempts to prove is, that Basil's liturgy was chiefly used by the Copts after the Mahommedan invasion. the important question is, what liturgy was used during the time of the Christian emperors; which question is not touched by the result of Renaudot s argument. However, the proof which he brings,

sed in omnibus antiquis aliis cujuscumque linguæ, idem ordo, orationes in eandem sententiam convenientes, ritus similes, sed insignis ex verborum varietate diversitas." Tom. i.

p. xciv.

q

non

But

ligimus, sed singularem," &c. p. xcvi.

r “Fieri enim facile potuit ut ex magno illo ecclesiarum numero quæ Alexandrino patriarchæ suberant, nonnullæ eâdem (Marci) frequentius uterentur, quamvis major earum pars Basilianâ- -uti soleret, saltem à captâ à Mahumedanis Ægypto. Ita enim rem se habere demonstrat Æthiopum

"Secunda pars est eadem, neque convenit nisi eâ quam diximus generali conformitate rituum et sententiarum, cum prima et præcipua Coptica, quæ est Basilii. Ex-disciplina. Canon enim geeâ igitur ratione illam (Marci) neralis Æthiopum, qui commuqualis Græcè edita est, non nem liturgiæ formam continet, esse canonem, ut uno verbo Basilianæ Liturgia Copticæ vocare possumus, communem quædam liberior versio est," veteris Alexandrini ritus intel

p. xcvi.

VOL. I.

H

that Basil's liturgy was chiefly used by the Copts after the Mahommedan invasion, is invalid. For the Ethiopic general canon is not (as he says) a liberal version of Basil's liturgy, but accords with Cyril's and Mark's, as any one may see by an actual comparison.

Let us, then, proceed to examine the chief features of the ancient Alexandrian rite, as depicted in the liturgies of Mark and Cyril, supported by the Ethiopic general canon; omitting, however, any notice of that part of the introduction which preceded the dismissal of the catechumens, because in the most primitive times there was little else contained in it besides the reading of lessons and the sermon.

After the dismissal of the catechumens and some prayers of the faithful, the priest and people saluted each other thus, "Peace be with you;" "And with thy spirit." Then followed the apostolical kiss of peace. The deacon proclaimed oτwμev kaλwç", and the form of "Sursum corda," &c. followed". Then began the eucharistia or thanksgiving, in which the great peculiarity of the Egyptian rite becomes immediately visible. All the solemn prayers for men and things, the commemorations of the living and the dead, are inserted in this place", after the form, "Sursum corda." Then the thanksgiving being resumed again, as it proceeds, the deacon successively commands those who are sitting, to "arise," and "look towards the east"." The thanks

s Renaudot, tom. i. p. 1012. 139, 140. 511-513. t P. 12. 60. 141.

u P. 64. 98.

V P. 40. 144.

w P. 41-45. 146-153. 514-516.

* P. 45. 153. 516.

y P. 46. 153. 516.

giving continues, and the priest mentions the "ten "thousand thousand angels and archangels who "stand ministering to God"," and the two seraphim with six wings, with two of which they veil their faces, "on account of the divinity of God invisible and incomprehensible by the mind." With these beings the people praise God, saying the hymn Tersanctus. The priest implores God to bless with the Holy Spirit the sacrifice and gifts of bread and wine placed before him. Then follow the commemoration of our Lord's deeds and words at the last supper, a verbal commemoration of his death, resurrection, &c. the offering of the gifts which God has given us, a prayer of humble deprecation3, and the invocation or prayer to God to send the Holy Ghost, and make the bread and cup the body and blood of Christ, that they may be efficacious for obtaining spiritual benefits for those who are to partake of them". Then follow the breaking of the bread', the Lord's Prayer, a benediction*, and the form τὰ ἅγια τοῖς ἁγίοις. Then the communion of clergy and laity, which is succeeded by

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It will be observed, that the difference between this liturgy and the great oriental liturgy of Antioch, Cæsarea, and Constantinople, already described, is in the order of the parts. The general and solemn prayers for men and things occurred in the middle of the Egyptian eucharistia or thanksgiving, and before the hymn Tersanctus. In the oriental liturgy the general prayers are deferred till after the end of the benediction of the gifts. Another peculiarity in this rite was the directions of the deacon to the people during the course of the thanksgiving, to "arise," "look towards the east," and "attend," or "sing" the hymn Tersanctus. Of this there is nothing to be found in any other rite.

Let us now compare this liturgy with the writings of the Fathers of the Alexandrian patriarchate, amongst whom the law of secrecy was so carefully attended to, that we have very few memorials of the Egyptian rites amongst them. The dismissal of catechumens is mentioned by Cyril of Alexandria', and is alluded to by almost every Egyptian father. Cyril also quotes a passage in the prayer of the faithful". He also refers to the salutation of "Peace

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be with you,” and the reply, and the kiss of peace", which are likewise mentioned by Isidore of Pelusium, and Origen. The form of στῶμεν καλῶς is apparently referred to by Cyril Alexandrinus. The eucharistia or thanksgiving is mentioned by Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria' and Origen3. Athanasius speaks of the prayer for the emperor*. The commemoration of the departed is mentioned by the Egyptian bishops in their epistle to Anatolius, bishop of Constantinople", by John Cas

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66

P In Ruffinus's translation of Origen's Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, we find mention made of the osculum ; but Ruffinus has evidently used post instead of ante, in order to suit the liturgy of Italy. “ Ex hoc sermone ('salutate invicem in osculo sancto aliisque nonnullis similibus, mos ecclesiis traditus est ut post (lege, ante) orationes osculo se invicem suscipiant fratres." Origen. lib. x. in Rom. xvi. 16. tom. iv. ed. Bened. p. 683.

a Speaking of the deacon's office, he says, ἢ οὐκ αὐτοὶ προστάττουσι διακεκραγότες ἐν ἐκκλησίαις—ἐν κόσμῳ μὲν ἑστάναι ; Ador. in Spir. et Verit. p. 454, tom. i. lib. xiii.

r Dionysius objected to rebaptizing a certain man thus, εὐχαριστίας γὰρ ἐπακούσαντα, καὶ συνεπιφθεγξάμενον τὸ ̓Αμὴν, καὶ τραπέζῃ παραστάντα, καὶ χεῖρας εἰς ὑποδοχὴν τῆς ἁγίας τροφῆς προτείναντα καὶ ταύτην καταδεξάμενον, καὶ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετασχόνταἱκανῷ χρόνῳ, οὐκ ἂν ἐξ ὑπαρχῆς ἀνασκευάζειν ἔτι τολμήσαιμι. Dionys. Alex. ad Xystum Rom. ap. Euseb. lib. vii. c. 9.

S

Ἡμεῖς δὲ τῷ τοῦ παντὸς δημιουργῷ εὐχαριστοῦντες, καὶ τοὺς μετ ̓ εὐχαριστίας καὶ εὐχῆς τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς δοθεῖσι προσαγομέ νους ἄρτους ἐσθίομεν. Origen. adv. Cels. lib. viii. tom. i. p. 766.

† Σὺ δὲ θεοφιλέστατε βασιλεῦ, ποῦ τοὺς λαοὺς ἂν ἤθελες ἐκτεῖναι τὰς χεῖρας καὶ εὔξασθαι περὶ σοῦ; Athanas. Apol. ad Imp. Constant. cap. 16, p. 304, tom. i. ed. Paris, 1698.

u "Etiam in venerabili diptycho, in quo piæ memoriæ

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