Gallery NO. DS - 2026 - 0010
Created May 2026
Lord, Have Mercy
Handcrafted Orthodox Stoneware Coffee Cup
Lord, Have Mercy is a one-of-a-kind stoneware cup bearing one of the most enduring prayers of the Orthodox Christian tradition.
Written in English upon the vessel are the words LORD, HAVE MERCY—a prayer heard continually throughout the Divine Liturgy and the daily services of the Church. Simple enough to be carried upon a single breath, the words contain within them a profound appeal for the compassion, healing, forgiveness, and presence of God.
The cup is enveloped in the distinctive mineral surface of White Magma, creating an irregular, stone-like exterior shaped through the unpredictable movement of glaze and fire. Made for daily use yet carrying the language of prayer, the vessel brings one of the Church's most ancient invocations into the ordinary ritual of the table.
The Inscription
LORD, HAVE MERCY
These words correspond to the ancient liturgical prayer Κύριε ἐλέησον — Kyrie Eleison.
Repeated throughout Orthodox worship, Lord, have mercy is far more than a request for pardon. The prayer calls upon the fullness of God's mercy, His compassion, healing, protection, forgiveness, and loving presence.
Its repetition within the life of the Church reflects the inexhaustible nature of that mercy. Carried upon a vessel intended for everyday use, the words become a quiet invitation to remembrance: a brief prayer encountered within the ordinary rhythms of life.
Surface & Form
The exterior is finished in White Magma, a highly textured glaze that creates an organic, mineral surface reminiscent of weathered stone. The firing produces natural variations across the vessel, giving the surface depth and an almost excavated quality.
Rather than seeking uniformity, the White Magma preserves the movement of the kiln within the finished work. Raised textures, irregular formations, and variations in the glaze are part of the individual character of the vessel.
Against this pale, elemental surface, the English inscription remains direct and restrained, and allowing the simplicity of the prayer itself to become the central focus of the work. this piece belongs to The Ash & Stone Collection.
The Ash & Stone Collection A curated body of stoneware defined by the elemental surface of White Magma—pale, mineral, and irregular, bearing textures reminiscent of weathered stone and the remnants of fire.
Details
Collection: The Vessels Collection
Curated Subcollection: Ash & Stone Collection Form: Handmade Orthodox stoneware coffee cup Material: High-fired stoneware Inscription: LORD, HAVE MERCY Language: English Meaning: The English rendering of Kyrie Eleison Exterior: White Magma — textured mineral and weathered-stone surface Firing: High-fired to Cone 6 Origin: Handmade by DOXA & STAVROS Edition: One of one
Accompaniment
Gallery Record: This work is accompanied by a Gallery Record documenting its title, inscription, collection, gallery number, and permanent place within the archive of the DOXA & STAVROS Workshop.
*The document shown is a representative sample. Each Gallery Record is individually prepared for the work it accompanies.
Each DOXA & STAVROS vessel is individually formed and finished by hand. Variations in shape, surface, glaze movement, inscription, and firing are not considered defects but are evidence of the making process and the singular nature of the work.
Objects formed by prayer and fire.
