The Maronites are the descendants of the Aramaean Christians of ancient Syria. Their Mass is celebrated in the Aramean dialect of Edessa, or Syriac, the language spoken by Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Maronite Church in its liturgy is fortunate in being the heir of at least two rich traditions, those of Edessa and Antioch. The Church of Edessa traces its origins to the preaching of the liturgical contributors included St. Ephrem and James of Saroug. The first Christian converts to the Church of Edessa included the earliest Jewish-Christians. Therefore, its liturgy is strongly influenced by the world-view of the Bible. As one of the oldest established churches, it developed its prayer forms before being influenced by Greek thought. Our Maronite liturgy today still has many hymns and prayers from St. Ephrem and James of Saroug. The Anaphora of the Apostles (also known as III Peter and by the Syriac word Sharrar), which the Maronite Church shares in common with the Church of Edessa, is the oldest Anaphora in the Catholic Church, and is still found in adapted form as the Anaphora of the Signing of the Chalice on Good Friday.
The Church of Antioch was the ancient See of Peter and developed its liturgy with influences from the Church of Jerusalem. The Maronite Anaphora of the Twelve Apostles represents the oldest tradition of the Church of Antioch. St. John Chrysostom took this Anaphora with him to Constantinople and became the basis of the Byzantine liturgy. As heir to the Patriarchate of Antioch, the Maronite Church represents the Antiochene liturgy in its fullness. Thus, the Maronite Church, in its prayer life, preserves the way of worship of the Apostles and their earliest disciples.
The Anaphora of Saint James provides a moving narrative of salvation history:
. . . You are our God and Father,
. . . Compassionate to the suffering of Your creation.
You formed us from the earth and conferred on us the joy of Paradise.
When we transgressed Your command and sinned You neither neglected nor rejected us,
but rather, like a merciful Father, You sought us .
By the Law You called us back;
by the prophets You guided us;
and, at last, You sent Your only Son, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, into the world
that He might renew Your image in us.
He came down from Heaven, and, taking flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God, He dwelt among us and accomplished everything for the salvation of our race.