# What does "Kyrie eleison" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 17, 1999, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kyrie-eleison-mean/1276 "1999-06-17T04:47:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Autocrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@Autocrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autocrat)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kyrie-eleison-mean/1276/41 "2001-06-20T12:52:07Z")
Getting back to the original question regarding the Kyrie, I note that the original Mailbag answer seems to suggest that the Kyrie in Greek is no longer used in Roman Catholic worship… In my personal experience it is still not infrequently sung in Greek… As an aside, regarding the use of Greek in the Roman Catholic mass, it should be noted that when the pope celebrates mass in St. Peter’s it was certainly the pre-Vatican II custom (and I suspect that this custom still applies) that the Gospel was said twice - once in Latin and once in Greek… The idea was to represent the fact that the Gospel was being proclaimed to both the Western and Eastern parts of the Universal church. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kyrie-eleison-mean/1276/42 "2001-06-20T13:26:40Z")
The Gospel was said twice, once in Laughing and once in Grief? (Thank you, Rev Dodgson.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kyrie-eleison-mean/1276/43 "2001-06-20T16:13:23Z")
I should have made this post back in 1999. The complete ODCC2 includes the information that Charles, King and Martyr, had his feast day on January 30 from 1662 to 1859. Five churches have been dedicated to him. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kyrie-eleison-mean/1276/44 "2001-06-30T15:22:55Z")
**John,** thanks, that’s very interesting. I also did a bit more research and should have posted this back in 2000, when I found it in a library: the statute in question is entitled \*An Act for the Attainder of severall persons guilty of the horrid Murther of his late Sacred Majestie King Charles the First,\*12 Car. II, c. 30. The Preamble clearly links the execution of Charles I to the fate of the Church of England: > [@](#): > > … and having gained the pretence of Law made by a power of their owne makeing pursue it with all possible force and cruelty untill at last upon the thirtyeth day of January One thousand six hundred forty and eight His Sacred Majestie was brought unto a Scaffold and there publiquely murthered before the Gates of his own Royall Pallace, And because by this horred action the Protestant Religion hath received the greatest wound and reproach and the people of England the most unsupportable shame and infamy that it was possible for the enimies of God and the King to bring upon us while the Fanatick Rage of a few Miscreants (who were as farr from being true Protestants as they were from being true Subjects) stands imputed by our Adversaries to the whole Nation… The first section of the Act goes on to provide: > [@](#): > > That every thirtyeth day of January unlesse it falls out to be upon the Lords day and then the day next following shall be for ever hereafter sett apart to be kepte and observed in all the Churches and Chappells of these Your Majestyes Kingdomes of England and Ireland Dominion of Wales and Towne of Berwick upon Tweede and the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey and all other Your Majestyes Dominions as an Anniversary day of Fasting and Humiliation to implore the mercy of God that neither the guilt of tht Sacred and Innocent Blood, nor those other sinns by which God was provoked to deliver up both us and our King into the hands of cruell and unreasonable men may at any time herafter be visited upon us or our posterity. So, it doesn’t expressly say that Charles I was a saint, but I can see how that language could be interpreted that way. E-mail me if you want a copy of the statute. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kyrie-eleison-mean/1276/45 "2001-06-30T16:03:47Z")
Regarding use in rock music - does nobody else remember the Electric Prunes? Their “Kyrie Eleison” appears on the soundtrack to “Easy Rider” (1969). ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kyrie-eleison-mean/1276/46 "2001-06-30T16:16:39Z")
\*\*CKDextHavn wrote: … and, of course, the only real difference between them from my perspective is that one says the Pope is head of the Church, and the other says the Queen is head of the Church. I forget which is which.\*\* Psssssssst, **CKDextHavn**! The one with the purse is the Queen! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-kyrie-eleison-mean/1276.md?page=2)