

In Fate/stay night: Heaven's feel III, why does Kirei end the chant against
Zouken, with the greek "Κύριε ελέησον" (kyrie eleison)?

It means "O Lord show mercy"


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fate-stay-night fate-series
Why does Kirei speak greek?


It's because of Christian liturgy. The "Kyrie eleison" is the name of a
prayer, and one of the most ancient of gregorian chants.

It has its origins in Eastern Christian doctrine, it derives from ἐλέησόν με
κύριε (eleison me kyrie), which was the Greek translation of a Biblical phrase
often found in the Psalms: חָנֵּנִי יְהוָה, "have mercy on me, Lord". It's
used as part of the litany, which is prayer that consists of petition to God
or to a Saint to intercede, as the priest asks the petition, the chorus would
answer "Kyrie eleison and "Christe eleison" in alternation.

So it seems fitting that for Fate worlds, where Christian doctrine is also a
form of Magecraft, this chant is used as an incantation part of exorcism
rituals, as it's asking for God to lend his power.

Sources: [Kyrie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrie),
[Litany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litany)


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