Kyrie Elesion

"The Kyrie" is a very ancient prayer, taken directly from the gospels and is sung or said in Christian churches worldwide. It is thought to be a vestige of the time when all Christian services were in Greek, as it was retained in Greek even in when services in the West were said in Latin. Even in English-speaking churches, it is still sometimes said or sung in Greek.

We have included the simplest responsive versions here. The "Ninefold Kyrie" can be created by saying or singing each line three times before proceeding to the next.