TRISAGION 

The "Thrice Holy" Prayer

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Holy God, Holy and Mighty, 
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us. 
Book of Common Prayer, 1979

The word trisagion is from the Greek tris- (three) + hagios (holy).  It is pronounced “tree-sah-yon.” 

A trisagion is defined by Webster’s Third New International Dictionary as “a hymn to, or invocation of, God as the thrice holy.”  Literally, trisagion means “thrice holy.”  While it can be applied to any threefold magnification of the Lord ’s holiness,  it is most commonly used as the name of this popular prayer. 

The trisagion device is familiar from the Bible “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts,” (Isaiah 6:3) and the mass “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts.” 

While the Trisagion Prayer has a long history of use in the Western Church, it has been more prominent in the  Eastern Church.  It is being used increasingly, however, by people in the Western Church.  Rite I in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer  gives the option of using the Trisagion Prayer in lieu of the Kyrie Eleison.  In the Eastern Church, the Trisagion is often said facing the east, but that is not a western tradition.

Although different denominations may choose one version or the other for corporate use, for personal devotions one should exercise personal preference and may alter the form if desired.  Although, if the threefold magnification is not used, then it is not the Trisagion.

The prayer is commonly repeated three times.  It is often used personally as a centering prayer before other devotions, but, of course, may be used at any time.  It is also commonly used ont he cruciform beads of the Anglican rosary.

The Jesus Prayer has similar virtues.

Some other versions of the Trisagion:

Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One, 
Have mercy on us.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, 
Have mercy on us.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, 
Have mercy on us.

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, 
Have mercy on us.

Aramaic
Quddouson Allââh, Quddouson ul-qawee, Quddouson ulladhee la yamout, Irhamna

Church Slavonic
Svjatyj Bozhe, Svjatyj Krjepkij, Svjatyj Bezsmertnyj,
Ppomiluj nas.

French
Saint Dieu, saint Fort, saint Immortel, 
Aie pitié de nous.

Greek
Agios O Theos, Agios Eeskhiros, Agios Athanatos, 
Eleison imas.

Latin
Sanctus Deus, Sanctus Fortis, Sanctus Immortalis, 
Miserere nobis.

Syriac
Qadishat Aloho, Qadishat Haylthono, Qadishat lo MoyouTHo, eTHraHam al'ain.