Kyrie is the vocative case of the Greek word κύριος (kyrios - lord) and means Oh, Lord. It is the beginning of a prayer during the Roman Catholic Mass and some other churches (such as many in the Anglican Communion), led by the priest or celebrant, and repeated by the congregation.

Kyrie eleison / Christe eleison / Kyrie eleison.

(Lord have mercy / Christ have mercy / Lord have mercy.)

The Kyrie is also the first prayer sung in the traditional Ordinary Mass liturgy, and as such appears in countless musical settings of the mass. Kyrie movements often have an ABA musical structure that reflects the symetrical structure of the text. One example is Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor.

"Kyrie" was also the title of a hit song by the 1980's pop group Mr. Mister, featuring the phrase "Kyrie eleison".