Greek original · Faith
Κύριε ἐλέησον
Kyrie eleēson
“Lord, have mercy.”
Christian liturgy (Greek, kept in the Latin Mass)
Meaning
What does “Kyrie eleēson” mean?
A short prayer asking God for mercy, repeated in many Christian services.
Origin
The story behind it
The prayer comes from the Greek-speaking early Church. Remarkably, it stayed in Greek even in the Latin Mass, where the Kyrie became one of the main parts set to music by composers from Gregorian chant to Mozart.
Greek and Latin
From Greek to Latin
The Greek originalΚύριε ἐλέησον
Kyrie eleēson
The Latin versionDomine, miserere
The Latin equivalent is Domine, miserere – compare miserere nobis, "have mercy on us".
Pronunciation
How to say it
Usually KEE-ree-eh eh-LAY-ee-son.
When to use it
How to use it today
Fits sacred-music programmes, choir posters and reflective church design.
- Greek
- Κύριε ἐλέησον
- Transliteration
- Kyrie eleēson
- English
- Lord, have mercy.
- Latin
- Domine, miserere
- Source
- Christian liturgy (Greek, kept in the Latin Mass)
One Latin line. Every Monday.
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