Kyrie Eleison

The Kyrie Eleison, meaning Lord Have Mercy, is an ancient cry for God's mercy prayed near the start of the liturgy. Drawing on the pleas of blind beggars and tax collectors in the Gospels, it expresses the soul's need for grace. Its few Greek words have echoed through Christian worship for many centuries.

• Also known as: Lord Have Mercy
• Role: Prayer of the liturgy

Go deeper in My Daily Bread

Read Kyrie Eleison's full story, the people and places connected to it, and how it speaks into today's readings.