ANAFORAUA SFÂNTULUI GRIGORIE DE NAZIANZ
THE ANAPHORA OF SAINT GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN

Summary/Abstract: The Anaphora of Saint Gregory the Theologian. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, Patriarch of Constantinople, is one of the “Great Cappadocian” Fathers. He left us a large number of theological Orations in which he explains the orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity. In addition to his theological writings, he composed a Liturgy; it survived only in an Egyptian framework, both in Greek and Coptic languages, but preserving the intercessions after the epiclesis, as in the liturgies of the Syrian family. It seems that most of it was written by St. Gregory himself, while a few additions belong to a latter period. While most Eastern Eucharistic prayers are addressed to God the Father, this anaphora is a special one, addressed to God the Son, Jesus Christ, One of the Holy Trinity, Who is of the same essence (omoousios) and coeternal with the Father. This peculiarity is explained by the fact that the Anaphora of St. Gregory was composed during the Arian controversy. Also, due to its Christology, it is still used (by the Coptic Church) during the Vigils of the three most important feasts of our Lord Jesus Christ: on the Eve of Nativity, of Theophany and Pasha.

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