APPENDIX F.
ON THE GREEK ORIGIN OF LITANIES (p. 153).
Litany comes from the Greek litaneia.
lite means a prayer; whence (litanos) one who prays; litaneuo to be a person who prays; litaneia a continued prayer. Thus Litany has the meaning of "prolonged prayers."
In the (Greek) Liturgy of S. James, there are three Bidding Prayers (besides the "Diptychs"), which have something of the Litany Form. The following suffrages are selected from the one to which we have referred:
"The Deacon. Let us beseech the Lord in peace.
The Laity. Lord, have mercy.
The Deacon. O God, by thy love grant us safety, mercy, compassion, and protection. The Laity. Lord, have mercy.
The Deacon. For the peace that is from above, for the love of God towards man, and for the safety of our souls, let us beseech the Lord. The Laity (after each suffrage). Lord, have mercy.
The Deacon. For the peace of the whole world, and the unity of all the holy churches of God, let us &c.
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For those who bear fruit and do good in the holy churches of God, those who remember the poor, the widows, and fatherless, strangers and needy persons, and for those who have bidden us to remember them in our prayers, let us &c.
For those who are in old age and weakness, by disease or illness, for those who are oppressed by unclean spirits, for their speedy recovery and safety through God's help, let us &c.
For those who pass their lives in singleness, devotion, or meditation, for those in holy matrimony, those engaged in life's battle in mountains, and caves, and pits of the earth, our holy fathers and brothers, let us &c.
For Christian sailors, travellers, strangers, and those in captivity, in exile, those in prisons, and bitter slavery, being our brethren, for their return in peace, let us &c.
For the remission of our sins, and pardon of our faults, and for our deliverance from all tribulation, anger, danger, and necessity, and from the rising-up of enemies, let us &c.
For a mild season, gentle rains, and kindly dews, for plenteous crops, and a perfect year crowned (with His goodness), let us &c.
For those who are present and pray with us at this sacred hour and at any time, our fathers and brothers, for their earnestness, toil, and readiness of heart, let us beseech the Lord.
That our prayer may be heard, and may be acceptable before God; and that his mercies and compassions may be poured abundantly upon us, let us beseech the Lord."
* * * * * * * *
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DATES.
The principal dates which are of use in reading this book fall into four groups:
1. The Early Church. 2. The Discussion of the Creed. 3. The Growth of Services. 4. The Growth of the English Services.
There is of course a certain amount of overlapping: but this will be readily understood. The reader will also easily guess when the years mentioned are those of a life, or those of a reign.
Early Dates.
A.D. A.D.
14-37. Tiberius, emp.
54-68. Nero, emp.
98-117. Trajan, emp. 112. Pliny's letter.
55-(117). Tacitus, hist.
-(120). Suetonius, hist.
138-161. Antoninus Pius, emp. 140. Justin's 1st Apology.
70-156. Polycarp, Bp.
161-180. Marcus Aurelius, emp. 86-117. Pothinus, Bp.
(125)-202. Irenaeus, Bp.
-(222). Tertullian.
-253. Origen.
-253. Cyprian, Bp.
306-337. Constantine, emp.
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The discussion of the Articles of the Creed.
Doubts. Writers. Councils. Creed.
First & second
centuries.
Ebionites. Irenaeus,
abt 180.
Tertullian,
abt 200.
Docetae.
Gnostics.
Third century. Cyprian, Bp, ? Apostles' ? 253. Creed.
Sabellians.
Arians.
Fourth century. Athanasius, Bp, Nicaea, 325. ) Nicene
(300)-371. ) Creed
)
Basil, Bp, )
329-379 )
)
Apollinarians. Ambrose, Bp, Constantinople, )
340-397. 381. )
Chrysostom, Bp,
(347)-407.
Fifth century. Jerome,
346-420.
Nestorians. Augustine, Bp, Ephesus, 431.
354-430.
Eutychians, or ) Chalcedon, 461.
Monophysites. )
Seventh century.
Monothelites. Constantinople, 'Athanasian' 680. Creed.
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