Worship In The West Syrian Churches: Syrian, Maronite, And Syro-indian

The liturgy of the West Syrian churches derives from Antioch, although some elements are believed to have come from the Jerusalem church of which James, the brother of Jesus, was the head. The tone of the liturgy is optimistic, and different parts anticipate the triumphal return of Christ. The churches that follow the primitive West Syrian tradition are the primary heirs to the tradition of Jerusalem. Though these churches employ many anaphoral texts, the oldest and most treasured among them is that attributed to St. James,"the brother of the Lord. " The three churches, Syrian, Maronite, and Syro-Indian, need to be identified separately. In the wake of the Council of Chalcedon, the West Syrian church of Antioch was divided between those who accepted the council's decrees and those who tended toward monophysitism. The former, considered not only orthodox Catholics but also loyal subjects of the emperor, came to be called Melchites (also, Melkites, from Hebrew melekh,"king, monarch, …