A Study on Holy Qurbana – Various Names

Orthodox Churches give primary importance to worship, as it is the central action of our worship, as well as the dynamic centre for Christian life, encompassing the heart-beats of the Church, that are manifested in worship. The Holy Eucharist is the crown of all other worships, performed “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4: 24). This Holy Sacrifice was instituted and entrusted with His disciples, by our Lord. The Church cel­ebrates this Holy Sacrifice as the continuation of the sacrifice on Calvary. The Orthodox Churches in general and the Malankara Orthodox Church in particular give first place to the Holy Eucharist. This sacrament perfects all other sacraments. It is the ‘Sacrament of sacraments, Queen of sacraments, Mystery of Mysteries, Crown of Mysteries, Queen of Mysteries, Perfector of Mysteries. This sacrament, celebrated by the chief celebrant and c0-celebrants’, priests, deacons, altar servers, and faithful laity, all of whom are celebrants. However, our Lord Jesus Christ is the True Celebrant.

Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are the goals of Holy Eucharist, leading to Theosis. The priest is the minister of this holy sacrifice appointed by Jesus Christ, the High Priest, through His’ apostles. In the Malankara Orthodox Church, Holy Eucharist is known as “Holy Qurbana”, meaning, ‘oblation’, ‘sacrifice’, ‘offering’ and submission, The syriac word ‘Qurbana’ has the following meanings: ‘offering’, ‘sacrifice’, ‘submission’ etc. Thus Holy Qurbana is the Mystery to receive the life of God that is sacrificed for us and to offer ourselves in accordance with the will of God. The Eucharistic worship is a unique form of worship, a replica of the perpetual heavenly worship, in which the heavenly hosts are continuously offering glory to God (Is. 6:1-3; Rev. 4: 1-11).

Holy Qurbana is an important Sacrament or more correctly a Mystery (Roso), instituted by our Lord and entrusted to His Apostles. Holy Qurbana is a complete worship and nucleus of the Orthodox Church worship, the central action as well as the Emphasis and focal point of Orthodox Worship. Holy Qurbana is a systematic, orderly public worship (1 Cor. 14: 33, 40), most beautiful, unique, exhilarating, heavenly worship on earth, that completes, perfects all the others Mysteries. It is cosmic worship, a crown of all other worship, that completes and fulfills of all the prophecies. A liturgy, rich in biblical portions, a sacred sacrament full of many great deep mysteries, a mystery to taste God’s love and experience His Grace, celebrated by the faithful and for all the faithful of our Church, a sacrifice of the whole church for the whole world. It is a celebration full of meanings and is richly symbolical. It is food for souls and Salvation for our souls, a spiritual nourishment and a heavenly feast with the Risen and Glorified Christ.

The following is a humble attempt to make a study on the Holy Eucharist according to the teachings and traditions of the Malankara Orthodox Church.  

‘DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME’  

Our Lord instituted the Holy Eu­charist. This was in the house of St. Mark, and it was at the time of our Lord’s last Passover meal (Matt. 26:26-30, Mk. 14:22-26, Lk. 22:14-38, Lk. 22:15). Our Lord ate the Passover with His twelve disciples. He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (Lk. 22:19). He took the cup also, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Lk. 22:20).

 “Do this”

“Do this in remembrance of me” (Lk. 22:19) was the com­mand of our Lord who instituted Holy Eucharist. We read in the book of Acts, how Holy Eucharist was celebrated in the early church (Act. 2:42, 46; 20:7). Orthodox Churches, give great importance to Holy Eucharist. Holy Eucha­rist is celebrated on all Sundays, and other feast days except Good Friday. All the other sacraments are perfected by Holy Eucharist. Eg. Baptism, Confession, Ordination, Matrimony, order and Anointing of the sick. Also, consecration of the Church and Holy Mooron are perfected by Holy Eucharist. The Church teaches that all who par­ticipate in the service should receive Holy Communion. The hymns and prayers in the Holy Eucharist bear witness to this. Adminis­tering the Ministry of the Word alone, instead of Holy Eucharist is against Orthodox tradition.

“In remembrance of me”

Holy Eucharist is the calling back to experience in the present tense that which happened in the past. Through worship, and participation in the body and blood of our Lord, we bring to our present experience, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and His saving acts. We become one with our Lord in Holy Eucharist.

The whole account of our Lord’s incarnation is brought to re­membrance in every Holy Eucharist. In a prayer of the prepara­tory service of the Holy Eucharist, it is said “we celebrate the me­morial of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, and all His saving acts on our behalf, especially the annunciation by the angel, His glorious conception, His bodily birth, His baptism in the River Jordan, His fasting for forty days, His preaching and healing Ministry, His atoning passion, His cruci­fixion, His life-giving death, His burial in honor, His glorious Resur­rection, His Ascension into heaven, His sitting on the right-hand side of the Father and Promised Second Coming.

Various names used for the Holy Eucharist

a) Mass
This is derived from the Latin word “missa”, used in the dis­missal at the end of the Holy Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church uses this name.

b) Holy Communion
The communion between Christ and men and also commun­ion among men are meant here (1 Cor. 10: 16, 17). The Communion between Christ and faithful & Commun­ion among faithful. ¹⁶Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? ¹⁷Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. We are made one with God and we all are united with each other (Shawtofutho) communion’         

C) Holy Eucharist
The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word ‘Eucharistia’, which means ‘offering thanks’ eu (good) + charizesthai (Favor, thanks). The word ‘thanksgiving’ (Evukaristhia – Eucharist) as it is offered to God by the faithful believers. St. Paul says, “When He had given thanks, he broke it”. St. Paul does not say “blessed”. Giving thanks is the way of blessing (1. Cor. 11:24). The celebrant says “O Lord, make us worthy of this service of Thanksgiving as sweet fragrance of incense

d) The Lord’s Supper
The sectarian Churches use this name. In the Orthodox Churches, love-feast or “Agape” is different from Holy Eucharist. St. Paul says about the love-feast in 1 Cor. 11: 20. Supper (Deipnon) is the main principal meal where the entire family comes together satisfied their hunger in each other company. That is why the Last Supper of Jesus became the true Christian meal. In Eucharist, our entire Church cuts off from the world, to assemble in the Church, to partake in Holy Body and Blood of Jesus.

e) Holy Mystery
Orthodox Churches use the word “Mystery” for Holy Eucharist, the word which comes from the Greek word “Mysterion”. We call all sacraments “the mysteries of the Church”. The word mystery means the hidden reality. The fullness of the saving acts of God, hidden in olden days was manifested through the only begotten Son. We participate in this saving acts of God today, through our participation in the mysteries. Sacraments in general and Holy Eucharist in particular, are referred to, by the word “mystery”. The bread and wine become the body and blood of our Lord in a manner not comprehensible to human senses. Hence it is a “Mystery”.

f) Holy Qurbana
The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church use the Syriac term “Qurbana” or “Qurbano”. This Syriac word derived from the verb “Kareb” means gifts, offerings, present. “Qurbana” means “sacrifice”. Following the tradition of the Syrian Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church uses the word “Qurbana” which means offering (that which is offered to God) or sacrifice. Through the sacrifice of our Lord, we offer ourselves as living and holy sacrifice to God (Rom. 12: 1) and the whole universe as a sacrifice to the heavenly Father. The term “Qurbana” is a derivative form of Qurbano.

Another word ‘Koorobo’ meaning ‘fellowship’, is alsoa derivative word from Qurbana. The fellowship between the heavenly beings and earthy beings, between those departed (dead) and those living, andthose far and near are all have fellowship in common. Another name  ‘(Knushyo – agreement or knowledge). Our different lives are made to agree with the One God and know the One God. Knushyo (Assembly, Sacrament of the Sacramental Community)

g) Divine Liturgy
We also call it the Divine Liturgy. All emphasis each aspect of the divine service of the Lords Supper. Liturgy, (leitourgia)means service. It is the service rendered by the servants to their masters. In all that we say and do in our worship, we are honoring, pleasing God and offering our service to the Triune God. And this leads us to a practical life of service, Liturgy after the Liturgy. (1 Cor 10: 31). The Orthodox celebration of the Holy Eucharist is called the “Divine Liturgy” – the heavenly work of the faithful.

There are other terms, like , Service, Fellowship, Lord’s supper (1 Cor 11: 20) Lord’s Table of Table of the Lord (1 Cor 11: 21); breaking of the Bread (Acts 2: 42; 20: 7); Communion (1 Cor 10: 16). Holy Qurbana is the supreme most mystery to taste God’s love, for God’s children to receive His ‘Blessings‘, experience mutual ‘Peace’ and Reconciliation‘ amongst us, an opportunity to participate in the ‘Sacrifice‘ of the Son of God and to offer our ‘Thanksgiving‘ in return to the Grace of God.