LIT'URGY (Gr. leitourgia, a public service), iu general, signifies a form of prayer and ceremonial established by ecclesiastical authority, to be used in the public services of the church, but is especially applied to that used in the celebration and administration of the eucharist. The very earliest historical records of Christianity plainly show that such forms were in use in the primitive times, but it seems highly probable that for a considerable period they were not reduced to writing; and hence even those of the extant liturgies which represent the earliest forms differ considerably from each other, if not in the substance of the rite, at least in the arrangement even of those parts which are common to them all. A theological discussion of the subject of the liturgy, though, of course, most important in a doctrinal point of view, and most interesting for the study of Christian antiquities, would be out of place in a popular cyclowedia. The liturgies form the °Teat stronghold of the Catholic controversialists on the subject of the real presence and cif the eucharistic sacrifice; but we must confine ourselves to a brief historical account of the various liturgies now extant, and of their connection with the various ancient Christian communities, whether of the east or of the west. Liturgies may, indeed, best be distributed into two classes, those of the east, and those of the west.
1. Oriental Liturgies.—The oriental liturgies are six in number, four of which are derived from the great churches in which they were used; the fifth from the Armenian church, which early' formed a distinct liturgy; and the sixth from the great Syrian sect of Nestorius, by which the liturgy was modified to suit its own peculiar tenets. These liturgies are severally known as the liturgies of Jerusalem, of Antioch, of Alexandria, and of Constantinople, the Armenian liturgy, and the Nestorian liturgy. The diversi ties of these liturgies, although very great in appearance, yet can hardly be said to be substantial. Certain leading parts are common to them all, and are found in all without substantial variation; but they are arranged in a different order, and, except in the form of the eucharistic consecration, the hymn Trisagion, and a few other details, the forin of words is often entirely dissimilar. The liturgy of Jerusalem. although ascribed
to St. James, is of uncertain origin and date; nor is it well ascertained whether its origi nal language was Syriac or Greek. The latter is the language in which it is now found, and the present liturgy- closely corresponds in the main with that which formed the text of St. Cyril of Jerusalem in his well-known mystar,ogical lectures. The liturgy of Antioch exists in Syriac, but it is evidently only a free translation of the liturgy of Jerusalem. The ancient liturgy of Alexandria is ascribed to St. Mark; but the existinc, liturgy has received numberless additions at later dates, and has been modified by botri the great sects of this patriarchate to suit their peculiar doctrines. Several other litur gics are in use among the Copts, mider the name of St. Basil, St. Gregory, and St. Cyril; and the Abyssinian Christians have no fewer than ten, which are distinct, at least in name. The church of Constantinople has two different liturgies, both of great antiq uity, that of St. Basil and that of St. Chrysostom. These, howey,or, are not indiscrimi nately used, each being employed on special occasions or on cd7tain defined festivals. The liturgy of Constantinople is the original of the Slavonic liturgy, which is used in the Russian and Russo-Greek church, and in its various branches. The Armenian lit urgy, dates from the introduction of Christianity into Armenia under Gregory the illu minator. It is in most respects derived from that of St. Chrysostom. The Nestorians have three liturgies—the liturgy of the apostles, the liturgy- of Theodore of Mopsues tia, and the liturgy of Nestorius. These, however, are all combined into one, each being assigned to a particular season, or used on special occasions. The language of all is Syriac.