The Epiklesis of the Lorrha Liturgy begins with the invocation: "Come O Sanctifier" and concludes in the Fracture with essentially the same words as the Byzantine Epiklesis: "...The Bread which we break is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ - Alleluia - The Chalice which we bless - Alleluia - is the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ - Alleluia - in remission of our sins - Alleluia. Let Thy mercy be upon us - Alleluia - even as we have hoped on Thee..." The words in this Mass at the Fraction are very powerful, a statement of IS, Christ the Being.
Thus the Epiklesis begins before the Gospel and ends before the Lord's Prayer. So in a very real sense, the entire Liturgy is an Epiklesis whose purpose is the Offering and change of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Some editions of the Missal found on the Internet contain a a so-called
Epiklesis which their editors and adaptors claim that they translated from
the original Latin text of the Stowe Missal. In point of fact, they "translated"
it from this English language text:
"As the Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the waters at the beginning
of Creation, as He came upon and quickened the womb of Mary the ever-Blessed
Virgin Birthgiver of God, let the entire power of the Holy Spirit descend
into the entire substance of these Gifts, and make them the true Body and
true Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
That text does not exist in any Celtic manuscript. It was a hypothetical Epiklesis which Abbot-Bishop Maelruain composed and suggested for optional use at the time our translation was first published on the internet. In the original publication it was indicated that it was inserted by the Abbot-Bishop and had no precedent in Celtic usage. Several copies still exist. Since the original translation was completed, further research showed that the the text, use and even the placement of an Epiklesis prayer were very different in the Celtic churches. For that reason, the Abbot-Bishop removed the spurious text.
So what is the origin of the specific invocation of the Holy Spirit found in the Mozarabic and Byzantine Rites? The answer might be found in so-called Gothic Missal, an Eighth Century Gallican Missal. It provides proper prayers for the Liturgy which change with the day. The Post Mysterium is a changeable prayer which is inserted just before the introduction to the Lord's Prayer. Some Post Mysteriums resemble the familiar Byzantine Epiklesis. Most do not.
However, the following Post Mysterium prayer is for the Feast
of the Throne of Saint Peter at Rome may be the origin of the Byzantine
and Mozarabic forms:
"We who serve, offer these prescribed Holy Gifts of our Salvation,
that Thou may be pleased to send Thy Holy Spirit upon this Sacrifice so
that it may be changed into a legitimate Eucharist for us in the Name of
Thee, Thy Son and the Holy Spirit, in the transformation of the Body and
Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; and may it be unto us who eat and drink,
Life eternal and the eternal Kingdom. Through Himself, Christ Our Lord
who reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit throughout all ages of ages.
Amen."
It is an affirmation that the Epiklesis contained in the rest of the Liturgy has been completed. It is now included in the ordinary of the Liturgy as an optional prayer. It is required in the usage of the Celtic Orthodox Christian Church.
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