Is the Liturgy of St. Cyril the same as the Liturgy of St. Mark?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08
Yes, the Liturgy of St. Cyril is fundamentally the same as the Liturgy of St. Mark. In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, this Anaphora is often referred to as the Liturgy of St. Cyril (ⲁⲛⲁⲫⲟⲣⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ) because St. Cyril the Great, the 24th Pope of Alexandria, finalized and arranged it in its current form. However, its origin is credited to St. Mark the Evangelist (ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲥ), the founder of the See of Alexandria.
1. Apostolic Origin (St. Mark)
The core of this liturgy was handed down orally by St. Mark to the Church in Egypt in the first century. For this reason, it is historically known as the Liturgy of St. Mark. It represents the original Alexandrian rite, distinguished by its unique structure—most notably, by the placement of the Litanies (Prayers) early in the service, during the Anaphora, before the "Holy, Holy, Holy" (ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ, ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ, ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ).
2. Modification and Arrangement (St. Cyril)
In the 5th century, St. Cyril the Great (known as the Pillar of Faith) took the existing Liturgy of St. Mark and added specific theological expressions to further clarify the Orthodox faith against the heresies of the time (particularly Nestorianism). He also refined the arrangement of the prayers. Because of his extensive work in documenting and preserving this rite, it became associated with his name.
3. Usage in the Coptic Church
Today, when we refer to the Anaphora of St. Cyril (ⲧⲉⲛⲁⲛⲁⲫⲟⲣⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ), we are praying the Liturgy of St. Mark as edited by St. Cyril.
It is one of the three liturgies used in the Coptic Orthodox Church, alongside the Liturgy of St. Basil and the Liturgy of St. Gregory. Due to its length and the depth of its melodies, it is frequently prayed during the seasons of Great Lent (ⲧⲏⲥⲧⲓⲁ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ) and Kiahk.
Key Liturgical Differences
While the Liturgy of St. Basil is the most commonly used, the Liturgy of St. Cyril/Mark is characterized by:
- The Litanies: The Litanies for Peace, the Fathers, the Ministers, the Place, the Waters/Plants/Fruits, and the Oblations are integrated into the Anaphora itself rather than being prayed earlier in the service.
- The Theological Depth: It contains very rich, poetic, and precise theological language regarding the Incarnation and the nature of Christ, reflecting St. Cyril's defense of the title Theotokos (ⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲟⲥ).
They are the same liturgy; "St. Mark" refers to its apostolic source, and "St. Cyril" refers to its formal ecclesiastical arrangement.