Egeria in JerusalemThe Psalms in Fourth-Century Worship
The Pilgrimage of Egeria · A South Florida Psalter Reader’s Edition
About This Reader’s Edition
Sometime in the late fourth century, probably in the 380s, a Christian woman named Egeria made an extraordinary pilgrimage from the Latin-speaking West to the biblical lands. She traveled through Sinai, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Mesopotamia, writing an account for Christian women back home whom she affectionately calls her “sisters.”
The surviving manuscript is incomplete, but a large portion preserves Egeria’s detailed eyewitness account of worship in Jerusalem. This is especially precious because Egeria is not writing a theological treatise about how Christians ought to worship. She is describing what she actually saw: bishops, priests, deacons, monks, virgins, ordinary men and women, children, pilgrims, crowds, processions, Scripture readings, prayers—and, everywhere, the singing of Psalms.
The selections below preserve Egeria’s testimony about the use of Psalms as fully as practical. I have modernized the English, broken long nineteenth-century sentences into more natural paragraphs, explained unfamiliar terms, and occasionally supplied a brief transition where the surviving text moves abruptly. I have deliberately resisted reducing her account to a handful of quotations. The repetition is part of the evidence. Egeria wants her readers to understand the rhythm of Christian worship in Jerusalem, and the Psalms appear again and again within that rhythm.
The underlying source is Egeria’s Itinerary (often called The Pilgrimage of Egeria), especially the surviving description of Jerusalem worship, traditionally chapters 24–49. The reader’s adaptation follows the public-domain 1919 translation by M. L. McClure and C. L. Feltoe, while rendering its English in a contemporary form.
A note on places: the Anastasis is the shrine and church associated with Christ’s tomb and resurrection, within the complex later known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Martyrium is the great basilica adjoining it, built under Constantine. Eleona is the church on the Mount of Olives associated with Jesus’ teaching. The Imbomon is the place on the Mount of Olives associated with the Ascension. “Lucernare” is the evening office, literally the time when lamps were lit.
A Note on “Psalms,” “Hymns,” and “Antiphons”
Egeria repeatedly uses three musical terms: psalms, hymns, and antiphons. Modern readers need to be careful not to import modern church-music categories into her language. When we hear “hymn,” we may imagine a privately composed Christian song distinct from the biblical Psalter; when we hear “antiphon,” we may imagine yet another kind of song. Egeria’s terminology is not that tidy.
Much—and probably most—of the singing she describes belongs to the world of biblical psalmody. In late-antique Christian usage, a “hymn” could sometimes be a canonical Psalm regarded according to its function as a song of praise. The term could also include other biblical canticles, and we should leave open the possibility that some non-biblical Christian hymns were sung. By Egeria’s time Christians certainly knew such compositions. Therefore this reader’s edition does not simply replace every occurrence of “hymn” with “Psalm.” That would claim more than the evidence allows.
“Antiphon” requires another clarification. It normally does not name a body of songs competing with the Psalter. It describes a form of performance or a refrain associated with the psalmody. A leader might sing the verses while the people repeatedly answered with a verse or short refrain; at other times groups could answer one another. Egeria herself gives us especially clear examples of a priest or deacon singing a Psalm while the whole congregation responds.
Nor was every congregational response a Psalm. At evening prayer Egeria specifically records the repeated Greek acclamation Kyrie eleison—“Lord, have mercy”—as names and petitions are offered. The worship she witnessed was therefore Psalm-saturated, not Psalm-exclusive: Psalms stood within a larger pattern of Scripture readings, biblical songs, prayers, blessings, short acclamations, and possibly some non-biblical Christian hymnody.
For that reason, this reader’s edition generally preserves Egeria’s own distinctions—“Psalm,” “hymn,” and “antiphon”—while occasionally clarifying the activity as psalmody, a Psalm sung responsively, or an antiphonal response when the context warrants it. The safest picture for the reader to carry forward is not three modern musical categories—Psalms, traditional hymns, and worship songs—but a Christian worship culture profoundly saturated with Scripture and especially with the biblical Psalter.
The Daily Rhythm of Prayer
Every Day Before Dawn
Now, my dear sisters, I want you to know the order of worship that is observed each day in the holy places, because I know you would be glad to hear about it.
Every day, before the first cockcrow, all the doors of the Anastasis are opened. All the monks and virgins, as they are called here, go there. But they are not alone. Lay people come too—men and women who wish to begin their vigil early.
From that hour until daybreak, hymns are sung, Psalms are sung responsively, and antiphons are sung in the same way. After each hymn or antiphon there is prayer. Two or three priests, deacons, or monks take turns each day offering these prayers.
When day begins to break, they start the morning hymns. Then the bishop arrives with the clergy. He immediately enters the cave of the Anastasis, inside the rails, and from there offers prayer for everyone. He remembers the names of those he wishes to commemorate, and then he blesses the catechumens. After another prayer he blesses the faithful.
When the bishop comes out, everyone approaches his hand, and he blesses them one by one as he passes. The dismissal takes place when it is already daylight.
The Sixth and Ninth Hours
At the sixth hour everyone again goes to the Anastasis. Psalms and antiphons are sung while the bishop is summoned. When he arrives, he does not sit down but enters directly within the rails of the Anastasis, as he did in the morning. He offers prayer, blesses the faithful, and when he comes out everyone approaches his hand.
The same thing is done again at the ninth hour.
Evening Prayer: Lucernare
At the tenth hour—what they call here licinicon, and what we call lucernare—all the people assemble again at the Anastasis.
All the candles and lamps are lit, producing a tremendous light. The flame is not brought in from outside. It is taken from the lamp that burns continually, day and night, inside the cave.
The evening Psalms and antiphons are sung for a considerable time. Then the bishop is summoned. He comes and takes his raised seat, while the priests sit in their appointed places. Hymns and antiphons continue to be sung.
When these have been completed according to custom, the bishop rises and stands before the rails of the cave. A deacon commemorates people one by one. Between these commemorations, the boys who are present continually answer, “Kyrie eleison”—“Lord, have mercy.” Their voices are countless.
After the deacon has finished the commemorations, the bishop offers prayer and prays for everyone. Then all pray together, both the faithful and the catechumens. The deacon calls for the catechumens to bow their heads, and the bishop blesses them. Another prayer follows. Then the faithful bow their heads and the bishop blesses them also.
After this, the bishop leaves the Anastasis. Everyone approaches his hand as he goes. Then the people accompany him with hymns from the Anastasis to the Cross. When they arrive, prayer is made again, the catechumens and faithful are blessed, and once more everyone approaches the bishop’s hand.
This happens every day.
What impressed me especially is how carefully everything is arranged. Whatever Psalms or antiphons are sung—whether at night, in the morning, during the sixth or ninth hour, or at evening—they are always chosen so that their words are suitable to the occasion and to what is being celebrated.
The Lord’s Day
The Vigil Before Sunday
On the seventh day, as the Lord’s Day approaches, the people begin gathering before cockcrow, just as they do at Easter. They assemble outside the Anastasis because the doors of the holy places are not opened before cockcrow.
While they wait, hymns and antiphons are sung. Prayers are offered between them. Priests and deacons are always there, taking turns keeping vigil with the people.
As soon as the first cock crows, the bishop arrives and enters the cave of the Anastasis. All the doors are opened, and the whole crowd enters. Countless lamps are already burning.
When the people have entered, one of the priests sings a Psalm, and everyone responds. Then prayer is made.
Next, one of the deacons sings a Psalm, and again everyone responds. Another prayer follows.
A third Psalm is sung by one of the clergy, followed by a third prayer and a commemoration of all.
When the three Psalms and three prayers have been completed, censers are brought into the cave until the entire basilica is filled with fragrance.
Then the bishop, standing inside the rails, takes the Gospel book. He comes to the entrance of the cave and personally reads the account of the Lord’s resurrection.
As soon as the reading begins, such mourning and groaning rises from the people, with so many tears, that even the hardest heart would be moved. Everyone weeps at the thought that the Lord endured such things for us.
After the Gospel, the bishop goes out, and all the people accompany him with hymns to the Cross. There another Psalm is sung and prayer is made. The bishop blesses the faithful, and the dismissal takes place.
But the night’s Psalm singing does not necessarily end there.
The bishop returns to his house, but all the monks return to the Anastasis. There they continue singing Psalms and antiphons, with prayer after each Psalm or antiphon, until daylight. Priests and deacons also take turns keeping watch there with the people.
And some of the lay people remain too. Men and women who wish to stay continue until daybreak. Those who do not remain return to their homes and sleep.
Sunday Morning
At daybreak, because it is the Lord’s Day, they proceed to the great church, the Martyrium, built by Constantine at Golgotha behind the Cross.
Everything is done according to the custom observed everywhere on the Lord’s Day. The priests preach, as many as wish to do so, and afterward the bishop preaches. These sermons are always given on Sundays so that the people may continually be instructed in the Scriptures and in the love of God.
Because of all this preaching, the dismissal is delayed considerably, sometimes until the fourth or even fifth hour.
After the dismissal in the great church, the monks accompany the bishop with hymns to the Anastasis. As the bishop approaches, all the doors are opened. The faithful enter, though the catechumens do not. The bishop enters the cave, gives thanks to God, prayer is made for everyone, and the people are blessed.
This is the order observed on the Lord’s Day throughout the year.
The Psalms Interpret the Place
Throughout these services, the Psalms and antiphons are chosen so that they suit the occasion. The same pattern appears again and again: the words fit the day, the hour, and the place.
I noticed the same practice throughout my pilgrimage.
Whenever we arrived at one of the places we had desired to visit, our custom was first to pray. Then the appropriate passage from Scripture was read. After the reading, a Psalm suitable to the place was sung, and then we prayed again.
We kept this practice, by God’s help, whenever we were able to visit the holy places.
At Mount Nebo, for example, after we reached the church, prayer was offered according to custom. Then the passage from the books of Moses was read, and a Psalm appropriate to the place was sung. After another prayer we came down.
At the spring associated with John the Baptist, the same thing happened: prayer, the appropriate Scripture reading, a Psalm suited to the place, and prayer again.
This pattern followed us from place to place.
Holy Week
The Saturday Before Palm Sunday: Bethany
On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, the people go to Bethany. When the bishop arrives, the monks meet him, the people enter the church, and a hymn and an antiphon are sung. Then the Gospel passage is read in which Lazarus’s sister meets the Lord.
After prayer and the blessing of the people, everyone goes with hymns to the Lazarium, the place associated with Lazarus. Such a crowd gathers that not only the place itself but the surrounding fields are filled with people.
Palm Sunday on the Mount of Olives
On the Lord’s Day that begins Holy Week, the people gather according to the usual Sunday pattern. Later, at the seventh hour, everyone goes up the Mount of Olives with the bishop to the church at Eleona.
There hymns and antiphons suitable to the day and the place are sung, and suitable readings are given.
As the ninth hour approaches, everyone goes with hymns farther up the mountain to the Imbomon, the place from which the Lord ascended into heaven. The people sit while the bishop is present, though the deacons remain standing.
Again, hymns and antiphons appropriate to the day and place are sung, with readings and prayers between them.
As the eleventh hour approaches, the Gospel passage is read in which the children carrying branches and palms met the Lord and cried, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Immediately the bishop rises, and everyone rises with him.
Then they begin descending from the top of the Mount of Olives on foot. All the people go before the bishop with hymns and antiphons, answering one another continually:
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
All the children of the neighborhood participate. Even the smallest children, those too young to walk, are carried on their parents’ shoulders. Every child carries branches—some palm branches, some olive branches.
In this way the bishop is escorted just as the Lord was escorted long ago.
Everyone walks: people of rank, ordinary men and women, adults and children. They make the entire journey slowly, singing and responding to one another, so that no one becomes exhausted.
By the time they reach the city it is already evening. They enter the Anastasis, where evening prayer is held. Then prayer is made at the Cross, and the people are dismissed.
Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week
On Monday, everything follows the ordinary pattern from cockcrow through morning and the sixth and ninth hours. At evening the people assemble at the Anastasis. Hymns and antiphons are sung for a considerable time, and the normal prayers and blessings follow.
On Tuesday the same daily offices are observed. But at night, after the dismissal, everyone goes with the bishop to the church on the Mount of Olives. There hymns and antiphons appropriate to the day and place are sung, with readings and prayers.
Afterward the bishop reads the Gospel passage in which the Lord warns his disciples to watch lest anyone deceive them. Then all return to the city late at night, singing hymns as they go.
Wednesday of Holy Week
Wednesday follows the ordinary daily pattern until evening. After the evening service, the bishop enters the cave of the Anastasis. A priest reads the Gospel account of Judas going to the Jews and agreeing on what they would give him to betray the Lord.
When the passage is read, the people groan and weep so loudly that there is no one who is not moved to tears.
Thursday: From the Eucharist into the Night
On Thursday everything is done according to the usual pattern until the evening, though the services begin somewhat earlier because of what follows.
After the offering has been made, everyone receives Communion. Then the people are dismissed from the Martyrium and go behind the Cross, where another offering is made. Once again the faithful receive Communion.
Then everyone hurries home to eat, because immediately afterward the entire congregation goes to Eleona on the Mount of Olives.
There, in the church containing the cave where the Lord taught his disciples, hymns and antiphons suitable to the day and place are sung. Readings are given, with prayers between them.
About the fifth hour of the night they go with hymns to the Imbomon. Again there are appropriate readings, hymns, antiphons, and prayers.
From there, about the time of the first cockcrow, they descend with hymns to the place where the Lord prayed, telling his disciples, “Watch, that you do not enter into temptation.”
A Gospel passage is read. Then everyone goes down on foot with hymns to Gethsemane.
By now the crowd is enormous. The people are weary from the vigil and exhausted from fasting, and they have descended a very great mountain. So more than two hundred church candles are provided to give light to everyone.
At Gethsemane a suitable prayer is made, a hymn is sung, and the Gospel passage describing the Lord’s arrest is read.
When the reading is finished, such crying, groaning, and weeping rises from the entire people that their lamentation can perhaps be heard all the way to the city.
Good Friday Before Dawn: Singing Back to Jerusalem
From Gethsemane the people begin walking back to the city on foot, singing hymns as they go.
They reach the city gate around the time when one person can just begin to recognize another in the early light.
Then they continue through the middle of the city. Everyone is there—great and small, rich and poor. No one turns away from the vigil at this point.
They continue until they reach the Cross.
The clergy who are strong and young continue the vigil, and hymns and antiphons are sung through the remainder of the night until morning. A very large crowd also keeps watch, some beginning earlier and some joining at midnight, according to their strength.
The Easter Vigil and Easter Week
At the Easter Vigil, the pattern of Scripture, prayer, and song continues. After the newly baptized have received baptism and been clothed, they are led first to the Anastasis with the bishop. Hymns accompany the movement of the people through the holy places.
During the eight days following Easter, the bishop goes every day after breakfast to Eleona with all the clergy, all the newly baptized, the ascetics—both men and women—and any of the people who wish to come.
Hymns are sung and prayers are made in the church at Eleona, in the cave where Jesus was accustomed to teach his disciples, and also at the Imbomon, the place associated with his ascension.
When the Psalms have been sung and prayer has been made, everyone comes down with hymns to the Anastasis in time for evening prayer.
This happens throughout all eight days.
Easter Sunday Evening at Sion
On Easter Sunday, after evening prayer at the Anastasis, all the people escort the bishop with hymns to Sion.
When they arrive, hymns appropriate to the day and the place are sung. Prayer is made, and the Gospel passage is read describing how the risen Lord entered through closed doors and appeared to his disciples.
The people then return with hymns.
The Ascension
On the feast of the Ascension, the people again make their way to the Mount of Olives.
The Gospel passage describing the Lord’s ascension is read, as well as the account from the Acts of the Apostles. After the readings, the catechumens and faithful are blessed.
Then the people descend from the summit with hymns to Eleona, to the church containing the cave where the Lord taught his apostles.
By the time they arrive, evening has come, and lucernare is celebrated there. Prayer is made, and both catechumens and faithful receive the blessing.
Then the entire congregation descends with the bishop.
They sing hymns and antiphons appropriate to the feast as they walk.
It is already night when they reach the city gate. About two hundred church candles have been prepared for the people. Because the distance from the gate to the great church is considerable, they walk very slowly so that no one becomes exhausted.
When the great gates facing the marketplace are opened, the entire people enter the Martyrium with hymns, together with the bishop.
Inside, hymns are sung and prayer is made. Then the catechumens and faithful are blessed.
Afterward they go again with hymns to the Anastasis. There hymns and antiphons are sung, prayer is made, and the people are blessed.
The same is done at the Cross.
Finally, the entire Christian people accompany the bishop with hymns to Sion.
When they arrive, suitable Scripture readings are given. Psalms and antiphons are sung. Prayer is made. The catechumens and faithful are blessed, and the dismissal finally takes place.
Afterward everyone approaches the bishop’s hand.
By the time the people return to their homes, it is around midnight.
Now take these words onto your own lips.
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