Kyrie eleison (song used in some services)

Pronunciation: [ kIr´ea; ela´eson ]
Translation from Greek: [ Lord, have mercy ]

In the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, prayer of the Mass coming after the introit, the only ordinary part of the traditional liturgy said not in Latin but in Greek.

It has nine lines: “Lord have mercy (thrice), Christ have mercy (thrice), Lord have mercy (thrice).”

As the first invariable hymn, the Kyrie is often the first piece in a musical Mass. An English version is used in the Anglican liturgy and in the reformed Roman Catholic vernacular liturgy.

The phrase Kyrie eleison used by itself is common in the Eastern rites, but without the phrase Christe eleison. The corresponding prayer in the Russian Orthodox church is often called a Kyrie.

  ...the story of St. Catherine, our patron saint?

( The following is an abridged excerpt from John Hadrill's article that appeared in the February, 2000 issue of the St. Catherine's newsletter. )

2002 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the selection of St. Catherine as patron saint of our parish church.

Dean Cecil Swanson from Christ Church Cathedral was guest speaker at the General Meeting of Capilano Highlands Anglican Church on September 21, 1950.

He spoke at length on the formation of new parishes, including the choice of names.

The ladies' group had submitted a list of eight possible names and after lengthy discussion the list was reduced to two: - St. Catherine's in the Mountains and St. Catherine's, Capilano. Following Patrick Alley 's motion, seconded by Tom English, the choice of the latter name was unanimous.

Our patron saint, Catherine of Alexandria, was a 4th century Christian martyr. Despite her wide popularity in the Middle Ages, very little is known of her. It is believed that she was martyred by being tied to a wheel (hence the' catherine wheel' in firework displays etc), then tortured and beheaded. It was claimed that St. Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai was established after her body was discovered there in the 9th century. Her feast day is 25 November.

There were two other St. Catherines: one was St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), a Christian saint who saw a vision of Christ when she was seven years old. At the age of 18 she became a member of the Dominicans and committed herself to work among the poor and sick, attracting many followers. In 1376 she went to Avignon to persuade Pope Gregory to return to Rome. She was canonized in 1461 and her feast day is 29 April. The other saint was Catherine of Genoa (1447-1910), a Christian mystic, born of a noble family and christened Caterinetta Fieschi.

( This, too comes from John Hadrill's article in the February, 2000 issue of the St. Catherine's newsletter. )

. . . Another symbol is the logo designed by Rhonda Garton for St. Catherine's, which shows a wheel turning so that the spokes of the wheel become rays of light spreading outward and forming the Cross. A dove, the Holy Spirit, is formed in part by a line spiralling outwards, representing life emerging from the central source of energy and light, exploring new directions.