Gallery NO. DS - 2026 - 014
Created June 2026
ΚΥΡΙΕ ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ - Lord, Have Mercy
Handcrafted Greek Orthodox Stoneware Vase
ΚΥΡΙΕ ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ — Lord, Have Mercy is a one-of-a-kind stoneware vessel bearing one of the most ancient and continually repeated prayers of the Orthodox Christian tradition.
Carved into the vessel are the Greek words ΚΥΡΙΕ ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ (Kyrie Eleison), Lord, have mercy. Heard throughout the Divine Liturgy and the daily prayer life of the Church, these words are at once a plea, a confession, and an expression of complete trust in the mercy of God.
The inscription becomes part of the architecture of the vessel itself, its Greek letters cut into the clay before being transformed by fire. The resulting work stands between functional form and contemplative object: a contemporary vessel carrying words prayed by Christians across centuries.
The Inscription
ΚΥΡΙΕ ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ Kyrie Eleison Lord, have mercy.
Few prayers are as deeply woven into Orthodox Christian worship as Kyrie Eleison. Repeated throughout the services of the Church, the words are far more than a request for pardon. Within the Orthodox understanding of mercy is the longing for God's compassion, healing, protection, and presence.
Its simplicity allows the prayer to accompany nearly every circumstance of human life. Carved permanently into stoneware, the ancient invocation becomes something encountered not only through words, but through material and form.
Surface & Form
The vessel is individually formed by hand, preserving the subtle asymmetry and movement that distinguish it from a mechanically perfected object. Its carved Greek lettering follows the surface of the form, allowing light and shadow to settle naturally within each inscription and reveal the marks of the making process.
The glaze surface carries the layered, mineral character characteristic of DOXA & STAVROS stoneware, with natural variations created through application and firing. Rather than concealing the irregularities of the handmade process, the vessel preserves them as part of its visual language.
Its sculptural presence allows the vase to stand independently as a contemplative object or to serve as a vessel within the home.
This work belongs to The Hellenic Script Collection, a curated body of stoneware bearing the language of the historic Greek Orthodox tradition—words of Scripture, prayer, and the ancient proclamations of the Church carried into clay.
Details
Collection: Relics Curated Subcollection: The Hellenic Script Collection Form: Sculptural Orthodox stoneware vase Material: High-fired stoneware Inscription: ΚΥΡΙΕ ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ Transliteration: Kyrie Eleison Translation: Lord, have mercy Inscription Method: Individually carved into the clay 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.
Certificate of Authenticity: This work is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity affirming their originality and archival record within the DOXA & STAVROS Workshop.
*The document shown is a representative sample. Each Certificate of Authenticity 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, carving, 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.
