Chapter 1

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RITES

INTRODUCTION

The science of rites (in Arabic,“Taqs”) is derived from the Greek word τάξις which means “order” or “procedure.” It discusses the system of divine

service, its order, its prayers and the worship movements and gestures that have spiritual bearing. It also includes the shape of the Church, its furnishings, the or-ders of the clergy and their clothing.

Christianity surpasses all the other religions due to its perfection, its lofty prin-ciples and its teachings. As St. Paul says, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor.14:40). He also commands to “…withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly, and not according to the tradition which he received from us …” (2 Thess. 3:6,7).

The purpose of establishing a system is to keep worship unified in all its spiritual orders and religious services everywhere, and exactly in the same manner of its unity in one faith, one baptism and one worship of One GOD (cf. Eph. 4:4). This fulfills the unity which our Lord had commanded (cf. John 17:21, 22).

Each Church has its rite (i.e., The Coptic Rite in the “Church of Alexandria,” the Byzantine Rite in the churches of Jerusalem, Antioch and Constantinople, and the Latin Rite in the churches of Rome and Carthage). The rite of the Coptic Orthodox Church is followed in each and every church of the See of St. Mark, all over the world.

Our Coptic Orthodox Church is well-known for the strict observation of its rites and orders, that had been set with extreme wisdom in accordance with the Ap-ostolic Constitutions (rules) that preserved the faith, without alteration from the days of the Apostles.

Some rites were not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, such as the baptism of young children, observing Sunday instead of the Sabbath, praying towards the east, the order of the Book of Hours, the order of fasting, and the liturgies of baptism, crowning service, etc. They were derived from verbal tradition, in the same man-ner as the Bible. (cf. 2 John 12; 2 Thess. 2:15, 3:16).

THE HISTORY OF RITESRites are very ancient. When God created Adam, He gave him the order of

offering, when he covered him with “tunics of skin” (Gen. 3:21). This order was observed by Abel, not by Cain; therefore the latter’s offering was not accepted.

There were also altars in the days of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, upon which blood sacrifices were offered. There was also the order of Aaron, who served in the

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Tabernacle that was built according to the pattern given to Moses: “And let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it” (Exo. 25:8, 9).

David also organized the order of service (1 Chr. 16:4 and 1 Chr. 24). An order of service was set by Nehemiah (Neh. 12:24). Esther imposed fasting for her people (Esther 4:16). Judas the Maccabean imposed The Feast of Dedication on his people. They pre-served this, and was even observed by our Lord Himself (Jn. 10:22.23). There was also the order according to Melchizedek, in his offering of the bread and wine, which was a type of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE AIM AND CHARACTERISTICS OF COPTIC ORTHODOX RITESThe Coptic Orthodox Rite is not an aim in itself, that the Church practices literally

without understanding. It is rather the language of the Church, uttered by the holy con-gregation as a whole, and by every member to enjoy the pledge of heaven through it. St. Clement of Alexandria stated that the Church is the Icon of Heaven.

1. Any Rite in which the faithful does not practice communion with the Holy Trinity, and does not have the experience of the joyful evangelic life as a heavenly one, is foreign to the Coptic Church. For example, the mystery of holy crowning con-centrates in its prayers on the heavenly crown and the spiritual marriage between God and His saints. This can also be understood if the couple practice this mystery spiritually and comprehend that this marriage is an image of the greatest mystery, “The union of Christ with His Church.” “This is great mystery, but I speak con-cerning Christ and the Church” (Eph. 5:32).

2. The Rite has its educational role, since the Coptic Orthodox Church presents all the Christian dogmas, the concepts of faith and spirituality in a very simple way. The child understands it, the theologian is satisfied with it, the priest, who is burdened with pastoral care, finds his comfort in it, and the spiritual ascetic finds it very nourishing to his soul. For example, by signing the cross, children acknowl-edge the trinitarian dogma, and the divine incarnation and through venerating the icons, they understand the extension of the Church as the body of Christ.

3. The Coptic Orthodox Rite is characterized with harmony and oneness of spirit. Thus, the church building, with its splendid rite, is in accordance with the liturgi-cal rites so that the believers live, under the guidance of the spirit of God, a joyful, pious life.

4. In the Coptic Orthodox Rite, the body shares with the soul in worshipping God, whether in congregational, family, or private worship. The Church believes in the unity of the human being as a whole, without ignoring the role of the body togeth-er by the Spirit of God. The Rite is the language of humanity as a whole, that uses all man’s capability to express his innermost thoughts, which common language cannot realize. The Rite is an expression that comes out of the body interacting with the depths of the inner soul.

5. In the Coptic Orthodox Rite, not only does the whole body participate in worship-ping God, but the whole creation also shares in glorifying the Creator. In other words, the believer, realizing the sanctity of the creation, appears before God offer-

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ing incense, wood (icons), bread, wine, etc. to God, declaring that all the creation glorifies God. This concept is in accordance with the words of the “Psalmody” in the Fourth Canticle: “Praise the Lord, from the earth …, fire and hail, snow and clouds …” (Psa. 148).

6. The Rite is an integral part of the life of the Church. It reflects our worship, our faith, our spirituality and our asceticism if it is practiced spiritually and with understanding, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If the Rite is practiced as a duty, as routine work, or performed literally without understanding, it becomes an obstacle to the evangelic spiritual life. In other words, the Rite is not a mere order, an outer organization, or sets of laws that rule the life of the Church, but it is, in its essence, a living spirit that we receive through the ages. This Rite has its body, i.e. the visible order, and it also has its spirit, i.e. the innermost thought. Whoever ac-cepts the body of the Rite without its spirit, accepts a corpse, a burden, that should be buried. If we accept the body with the spirit, we enjoy life that has its effect on the congregation and on every individual.

Chapter 2

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THE CHURCH

MEANING OF THE CHURCH

The church is a group of believers in Christ. This name was given to the first group, “And the Lord added to the Church daily, those who were being

saved” (Acts 2:47).

This name was given to the Church in general all over the world; then it was given to any unit of this general group of which the Church was formed, in any country or parish (such as the Church of Jerusalem, the Church of the Thessalo-nians (2 Thess. 1:1), the Church of the Corinthians (1 Cor. 1:2), and the Church of the Laodiceans (Col. 4:16).

The name is derived from the Greek word “Eklesia” (ἐκκλησία), whichmeans “the gathering of a congregation, in one place, for a certain purpose.” This name was given particularly to the group of politicians who used to meet in order to discuss civil causes.

The name church is given to (1) The group of believers, which our Lord pur-chased with his own blood (Acts 20:28; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19) and gave Himself for (Eph. 5:25); (2) the Church as the building or gathering place (1 Cor. 11:18, Acts 11:26); and (3) the holy orders of the clergy, or the Church as “shepherd” (cf. Matt. 18:17; Rev. 1:4).

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCHWe confess in the Creed that we believe in One Holy Universal and Apostolic

Church

ONE

There may be several and numerous Churches in cities and villages, yet Church is ONE as Christ is present in all of them, without division.

• Ezekiel prophesied about this concept of oneness (Eze. 37:22)• Christ referred to this feature when He said “and there will be one flock

and one shepherd” (John 10:16).• In His farewell prayer, our Lord said, “That they all may be one, as You,

Father are in Me and I in You; that they also may be one in us… that they may be one, just as We are One; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one…” (Jn. 17:21-23).

• “So we, being many, are ONE body in Christ and individually members of

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one another” (Rom. 12:5).• “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body… and have been made to

drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 13).• “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 3:5).• “Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23).• St. Cyprian of Carthage said, “He can no longer have God for his Father, who

has not the Church for his mother. If anyone could escape who was outside the ark of Noah, then he also may escape who shall be outside of the Church.”

HOLY

Our Lord Jesus Christ is head of the church and He is Holy so His body must be Holy.

• Isaiah’s prophecy “A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it” (Isa. 35:8).

• Christ has sanctified the Church and cleansed it “with the washing of water and the Word” (Eph. 5:25-27).

• “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Eph. 5:30), we are temples for the Holy Spirit.

CATHOLIC

• The Church is universal as it gathers all who are saved from all nations, “and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Lk. 24:47).

• The apostles carried out their mission by their witnessing to Him “in all Judea, Samaria and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

• “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15).• “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of

the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).

APOSTOLIC

• The Church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20).

• With regards to teaching, the Church follows the teachings of the apostles who were eyewitness to the Word (Luke 1:2).

• The Church has preserved the correct teachings passed on from the apostles.“Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the tradi-tions just as I delivered them to you. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread” (1 Cor.11:2, 23; Rom. 16:17).

• The appointment of shepherds as successors of the apostles, a lawful and correct consecration by laying the hands (Acts 6:6 and 13:3), in accordance with God’s

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will, “And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God as Aar-on was” (Hebrews 5:4) by the Church that appointed them as their successors (1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5)

The Coptic Orthodox Church is apostolic: It was established in the era of the apostles. It received the faith from St. Mark the Evangelist and Apostle, who appointed Anianus (first Bishop of Alexandria after St. Mark as his successor. The Coptic Orthodox Church follows the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ until this day without alteration, with absolutely no additions or deletions. The chain of Apostolic succession is undisturbed as broken from St. Mark to H.H. Pope Tawadros II.

THE CHURCH BUILDINGThe Church building is built, consecrated and sanctified through special prayers called

the Prayers of Consecration, as mentioned in Gen. 28:18, 31:13, and 2 Chr. 6 and 7. The Church is dedicated to gathering the believers for celebrating the worship, attending the liturgical services, partaking of the holy mysteries, and attending preaching and teaching. Such places were named churches by the apostles themselves (1 Cor. 11:22 and 14:34).

The Church is called “The House of God” and “The House of Angels,” wherein the be-lievers are guided by the Spirit of God. St. Irenaeus said, “Where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God, and where the Spirit of God is, there exists the Church and every grace.”

The Church building is indeed an open Bible written in a visible, tangible language that a simple child can understand, a theologian can dig in, and a clergyman loaded with congregational responsibilities can enjoy. Moses, when he established the tabernacle, explained only the shadow of the eternal dwelling place. But we, in the Church, have entered the heavenly place itself (Heb. 9:23), and enjoyed the temple that is not made with hands (Heb. 9:11). In our new temple, heaven became exposed and direct communication between the highest of holies and the humble earthly was made possible.

THE ORIENTATION OF THE CHURCHAlthough our communication with God is distinguished by its intimate nature within

the heart, it is not bound by time and place. However, there is the fact that our God likes discipline and hates disorder. This explains the reason for orienting the worship toward a certain direction. Before Christianity, prayers were offered towards the temple of Jeru-salem, and the Church of the New Testament oriented its liturgical, as well as its private devotions towards the East.

According to the Apostolic Constitutions, the Church “building [should] be long, with its head to the East.” Tertullian said, some “suppose that the sun is the god of the Chris-tians, because it is a well-known fact that we pray towards the east, or because we make Sunday a day of festivity.”

Such a tradition was mentioned in the writings of many fathers, as St. Clement of Alex-andria, Origen and Tertullian. Such tradition was clear in the early church, in the Liturgy of Baptism, when the candidate, after dismissing the devil, is asked to face the east to profess his belief in the Holy Trinity.

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Even in private prayers, we read about St. Arsenius and howhe was accustomed to com-mence his prayer at sunset on Saturday and finish when the sun shoneopposite to him the following morning. Martyrs and saints also oriented themselves towards the east on their departure from this world.

• Christ is our East. Our Christ was called the “East” and the “Sun of Righteousness and Justice” (Mal. 4:2) We ought to pray eastward in order to indicate that the soul is oriented toward the Dawn of Light, the Sun of Salvation,Who shines upon the new world, the Church. Whenever we celebrate the Divine Liturgy, we hear the deacon exhorting us to look towards the east to see Emmanuel Our God, present on the altar.

• A reminder of the Lost Paradise. When we pray towards the east, we seek the an-cient homeland, paradise, that God had planted for us in the east. This orientation refers to looking forward, towards the eternal country.

• Waiting for the “Parousia” (Advent) of Christ. The Lord declared that his last advent looks like the lightning that appears from the east, and shines upon the west (Matt. 24:27). At the Lord’s Ascension, the Angel informed the Disciples that the Son of Man will come again from the east (Acts 1:11). The Didascalia requires that prayer be directed towards the east: “The Apostles, therefore, constituted: pray towards the east, because ‘as the lightning which lightens from the east, and is seen even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be,’that by this shall we know and understand that He appears from the east suddenly.”

• A Symbol of Rebirth, Hope and Light. Saint Clement of Alexandria links the east with the spiritual day of rebirth. Every time we pray towards the east, we remem-ber the beginning of our new life. As we pray in the first hour of the Agpeya, “Let us enjoy a fresh start, may the light of Your face shine upon us.”

• Looking towards the Cross. Saint Athanasius raised a point that Christ was facing the west while hanging on the Cross. Thus, looking towards the east in our prayers, we meet the Crucified Lord, face to face.

• The Orientation of the Graves. The majority of cemeteries were built in such a way, that the dead bodies were oriented to face the east, as if they were waiting for the call of the Resurrection, coming from the east. It was also said that Holy Virgin Mary, ather departure, turned to the east and prayed in a heavenly language, and she laid down still facing the east. Altar towards the east is evident, beyond the shadow of a doubt. In Psalm 113:3, we read, “From the east to the west.” In Isaiah 24:15, “Glorify the Lord in the dawning light” (Zach. 14:4; Eze. 43:1, 2).

SHAPE OF THE CHURCH BUILDINGThe Church building is confirmed according to specific defined shapes, in three designs:

(1) the cruciform, (2) thecircle, and (3) the shape of a ship. These forms reveal a substan-tial aspect of the nature of the Church, her character and her message.

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CROSS

This type gives an idea of the mystical nature of the Church, as being the crucified Body of Christ. It was very common in the Byzantine style, but rarely used in the Coptic Churches.

CIRCLE

This design refers to the eternal nature of the Church as being an endless line. This type is not very common in the Coptic architecture.

SHIP

This is the most commonly used shape in the Coptic Orthodox Church. It held a special mystical significance, even before Christianity, in the Gentiles’ thought: Egyptian, Greek and Roman. Various shapes of ships were found inscribed in their tombs, rings and other jewelry. This explains their belief about immortality, regarding death as a journey to the other world. After Christianity, the symbol continued to express their new risen life in Christ. Another aspect regarding the ship was that they considered it as a symbol for the female, as a pregnant mother, enclosing the traveling souls to the place of birth. This real-ization fits with the Church that bears her children, looks after them, until they are finally delivered to the heavenly port.

In the Old Testament. The Ancient people of God regarded the ship as a symbol of salva-tion. No doubt, Noah’s Ark represents, in many aspects, a substantial element as a shadow of the Church of the New Testament. The eight persons who were saved through the Ark refer to the nature of the saved Church (1 Pet. 3:20-21). According to St. Augustine, the number eight surpasses the number seven (or week days) to commence a new week, i.e. we have gone beyond the limited life to the new life in Christ. Our Lord has risen from the dead on the eighth day (Sunday). The children were circumcised on the 8th day (New Covenant). There are eight beatitudes given in the Gospel of St. Matthew 5:5-10. The Ark of Noah was a divine work, whereby we receive the Church membership, through the Grace of the Lord, as there was no safety from the flood except by the Ark, and salvation can be achieved for nobody outside the Church.

In the New Testament. the ship, as a symbol of the Church, is a general tradition. Chris-tians are sailing amidst frightful dangers, but within the Lord’s ship, “the Church,” they are filled with the hope of reaching eternal rest.

DIVISIONS OF THE CHURCH BUILDINGThe church building is divided into three main divisions:

1. The sanctuary containing the altar.2. The nave that is separated from the sanctuary by the iconostasis. It contains two

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divisions:a. The place for the deacons (The Chancel)b. The place for the believers, which is the main nave.

3. The narthex for the catechumens.

THE SANCTUARY

It is present in the very far east of the Church. It represents heaven itself, the place of God’s residence. It is therefore called the “Holy of Holies,” the Great Dome,” the “Temple of His Holiness,” the “Third Heaven.” It contains the altar that is related to it to such a degree that it can sometimes be called the “Altar.” Such a correlation reveals the correla-tion between heaven and the cross. In the light of this understanding, we realize that our heavenly life cannot be isolated from the crucifixion with Christ. The sanctuary is raised somewhat from the nave. Inside the sanctuary, and behind the altar, lies the tribune, also known as the synthronos, on which the bishop’s throne is placed. On top of the tribune lies the niche that represents God’s bosom.

We honor the sanctuary because of its spiritual beauty and we follow these traditions:

• Lay persons are forbidden to take part in the communion inside the sanctuary. The sanctuary is for clergymen only.

• We can only step into the sanctuary bare-footed, according to the divine com-mandment to Moses, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place whereupon you stand is holy ground” (Ex. 3:5), and usually, we step in with the right foot first.

• No talking is allowed in the Sanctuary, except for necessity.

THE BODY OF THE CHURCH

The Church is normally divided into two parts, or choruses: (1) the chancel, or the choir (chorus) of deacons; and (2) the chorus of believers (the nave), or the body of the Church.

The ChanCel

• The chancel is situated on the est of the nave• The chancel is separated from the sanctuary by the iconostasis, and from the rest

of the nave by a screen or fence.• The chancel is one to three steps higher than the nave.• It contains seats for the deacons, two candelabra, and two lecterns on which the

Coptic and Arabic books or readings (lectionaries) are placed.• The Lectern (or Pulpit) is a movable wooden book stand. It is adorned with geo-

metrical designs, often inlaid with ivory carvings. One of the finest examples can be found at the Old Patriarchal Cathedral of St Mark, in Cairo. It belongs to theChurch of the Virgin Mary, the “Suspended Church” in Old Cairo (Babylon), and may date back perhaps to the tenth or eleventh century. It is a most beautiful work of art; the ivory with the design of the cross. It is worth mentioning here that the lecterns have been used in eastern and western churches, when the amvons were not yet in existence, and when they were no longer in use.

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The nave

The term “nave” is derived from the Latin, navies, meaning “ship.” The sanctuary and the nave are correlated; the former sanctifies the latter, and the latter completes the former. The sanctuary represents God’s presence, and the nave declares the people’s meeting with God. For this reason, the sanctuary is called “the soul of the church,” while the nave is called, “the body of the church.”

Divisions. The nave was normally divided into two parts by a colonnade. The southern aisle is reserved for the nuns, virgins, widows, women and their children. This aisle is now used without any division for all the female believers. The northern aisle of the nave is still reserved for the men. According to this order, children attend the liturgy with the whole congregation; with the women sitting at the right hand of the men, as the queen is at the right side of the king.

The Domes

Some Coptic churches have built a dome called cupola. This refers to Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, seated in the heavens. For this reason, it is usually painted with icons of the Lord, or in a bright blue color, decorated with angels and stars. Some churches have three cupolas, that represents the Holy Trinity. Other churches have five cupolas. The principal one, which is large, in the center represents the Lord; and the four small ones around it represent the four evangelists.

PIllaRs

• The pillars in the old ttemple were given specific names (2 Chr. 3:17), as they re-ferred to the disciples of Jesus Christ.

• There are usually twelve pillars in the church of the New Testament.• St. Paul called the disciples, “Pillars” (Gal. 2:9).• Some Churches are built on four pillars referring to the four Evangelists.• Our Lord promised that if we conquer, He will make us pillars in the eternal tem-

ple of His Father, so that we may remain there forever; and that He will write on him, His Father’s name and the name of the city of His Father, the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12).

• In the ancient churches, the columns are decorated with various crowns. You will rarely find two crowns alike, for this symbolizes to us those who will be crowned by the Lord, each receiving his own crown. It is only in the merit of Christ’s blood that we are crowned.

The naRTheX

The narthex is the western area near the entrance of the church, where the catechumens and repentant attend a special part of the liturgy called “The Liturgy of the Catechumens,” or “The Liturgy of the Word.” Catechumens are those preparing for baptism, and the repentant or the penitents are Christians who have committed certain sins, and whose spiritual fathers forbade them to receive the holy communion for a period of time.

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The BaPTIsTeRY

With great spiritual wisdom, the Didascalia (35) identified that the baptistery should be built in the north western side of the Church, i.e., at the left hand side of the entrance.

Because the baptistery is considered the womb of the Church, through which we get born again, nobody can cross to the chorus of the believers and receive the mystery of the altar, without first entering the baptistery to go through the divine birth. And also because our Lord commenced His public ministry by the baptism, we consider that the first step to enter among the believers is through the baptistery.

Usually, the baptistery has two doors, or portals. One on the west side, through which the candidates enter, leaving the worldof darkness; and the other, on the east side, through which they pass to the luminous world. In ancient times, on the eve of the Feast of Resur-rection, thousands of candidates used to enter from the western door of the baptistery, on the left side of the church to the eastern side, proceeding to the nave in their white gar-ments, because they have risen with the Risen Christ.

Baptism started in the apostolic age, in the rivers, seas or springs of water. This was due to the large numbers of new Christians; and the majority being adults, no baptistery could accommodate them all. In the early church, baptisteries were discovered in the catacombs in Rome; so we can conclude that the early Christians used to assign a special room for Baptisteries.

Shape

Early baptisteries were, in general, no more than a single room. Others, however, had a second room where the neophytes received the chrism by the bishop, and it was called “Chrismarion.” The most commonly used shape for the baptisteries, until the fourth cen-tury, was quadrilateral. This form resembled the shape of the tombs, for baptism shares death, burial and resurrection with Christ. By the beginning of the fifth century, other shapes were used:

• The hexagonal shape which referred to the 6th day of the week, i.e. Friday, on which Christ was crucified (Col. 2:12) and (Rom. 6:4).

• The octagonal shape which symbolized the day of the resurrection of Christ.• The circular shape that was meant to remind us that baptism is the rebirth (John

3:31) as from the church’s womb.• The cruciform which was directly related to the manner of Christ’s death, and

baptism is a cross.• There may be a dome above the baptistery to express the Church’s belief that bap-

tism is the beginning of heavenly life.

Stairs

In most of our churches, like St. Mina in Mariut, Egypt, there are two sets of stairs, one in the east and one in the west. One may be used by the candidate, and the other by the celebrant of the mystery.

Icons. In the majority of the Coptic churches, there is, fixed in the apse of the baptistery, an icon showing the baptism of Christ by St. John the Baptist, in the Jordan River. This as-

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sures that our baptism is an extension of Christ’s baptism. St. Clement of Alexandria said that the believer is bound indissolubly with Christ in baptism.

The ChURCh ToWeR (The BelFRY)

The church represents the Lord’s ship, voyaging towards heaven; similar to the ship and guard tower. The church has a belfry, where bells are usually hung. Small bells were hung in the high priest’s ephod, so they were heard at the high priest’s entrance and departure from the sanctuary. During the first three centuries of Christianity, the use of the church bells was impossible, because of the persecution. They were used at a later time (probably in the 6th century), to call the believers for worship.

• Hand bells may be used in the western churches, but they are not known in the Coptic Orthodox Church.

• The order of ringing the church bells. The bells are rung during special times with different rhythms.

• For the Eucharist in the offertory, to declare that Jesus Christ reigns over our souls. Communion joy by this heavenly feast.

• On feasts, with a unique beat.• Upon the death of a church member, with mourning rhythms, as is done during

Great Friday services. However, on the Lord’s feasts, Sundays, and the fifty days after Easter, no mourning tone is tolled, since the Church is celebrating a joyous time.

The church tower is surmounted by a cross that has several meanings. It represents the divine flag which declares that the whole Church is subject to the dominion of the cru-cified Lord, and it reveals to the world that there is no message to the Church except to follow the crucified Christ.

The Lord’s Parousia: This lifted Cross refers to the Lord’s second advent, as He said, “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven…” (Matt. 24:30).

The cross is the only way for Christian unity. Apart from the cross, there is no unity. “For He is our peace, Who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in His Flesh the enmity…” (Eph. 2:14,15).

The amBon (amBo, amvon)

The Greek word, ἄμβων, meaning “step or elevation,” is an elevated platform where the bishop or priest stands, when preaching to the people.

• It usually rests on twelve columns, whichsymbolize the twelve disciples.• It is made of marble, stone or wood, and decorated with icons of saints.• In the Old Testament, Solomon made an ambon for the temple of God. On the day

of the consecration of the temple, he stood upon it, and knelt down on his knees in the presence of all the assembly, and spread forth his hands towards heaven and praised God (1 Kgs. 8).

• David also referred to it when he said, “Let them exalt Him in the congregation of

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the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders” (Psa. 106:32).• In the fifth century BC, Ezra the scribe stood on “a pulpit (ambon) of wood” as he

spoke to the people and blessed the Lord. He read from the Holy Scriptures and explained its meaning (cf. Neh. 8:4).

• We have already mentioned that St. John Chrysostom preached from the Ambon, so thatthe congregation could hear him with greater ease.

Symbolism

The Ambon can be symbolic for many events in the Bible, including

• The stone of the Lord’s tomb, on which the angel sat and preached to the women,• The mountain on which Moses received the Law,• The mountain on which Jesus spoke to the people, and• The mountain on which Christ, “the Word of God” was transfigured in frontof the

Disciples.

The laKKan (laveR oR manDaTUm TanK)

The laver (or mandatum tank), is a marble or stone rectangular basin, two feet wide by four feet long, l located in the western end of the nave, laid in the floor and covered with boards. It is used in the service of “the Blessingsof the Water” (the Lakkan), on the Feast of the Martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul (the Feast of the Apostles), the Feast of Theophany or Epiphany, and Covenant Thursday.

ELEMENTS OF THE ALTAR AND VESSELS

The alTaR

It is derived from the Latin word “Altare” which means “the place upon which the sacri-fices are slain (same in Greek). In Coptic it is called Pima nerswosi and in Greek, τράπεζα (Trapeza), or “The Lord’s Table” (1 Cor.10:21). The Altar may be made of wood, stone, marble, or precious metals.

The Coptic Altar takes approximately the shape of a cube, that resembles the tomb of the Lord. Western altars may be a placedon one pillar, or four.. It stands clear in the middle of the sanctuary (cf. Rev. 9:13), it is hollow (for relics of the saints), and is raised above the chorus but not from the sanctuary (cf. Ex. 20:26). Coptic altars should not have any form of engravings, not even the shape of the cross (Ex. 20:25).

At first, there was one Christian community in each city, with one bishop and one altar. But when the number of priests increased, the altars increased in number, because Church tradition forbids engaging an altar in more than one celebration in a single day.

The Altar must be consecrated with the holy chrism, and this is normally done as part of the consecration of the whole church. However, the Divine Liturgy of the Eucharist can be celebrated on an altar that has not been consecrated, as long as the consecrated altar board is placed on it.

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The Altar has had a distinctive sanctity ever since the early church. Nothing is placed on it except the holy elements. Even the relics of the saints and martyrs are not to be placed on it. Lamps or candle stands are hung above it, and free standing candlesticks around it. In the Coptic Church, there are two candle-stands one on the right side and the other on the left side. They refer to the two angels by the Lord’s tomb. There is an old tradition of placing the holy gospel on the altar until the reading time, as a symbol that it is received directly from the divine throne.

The alTaR BoaRD

The altar board is generally made of wood, and rarely of marble, and it bears the follow-ing paintings: (1) a cross or a number of crosses; (2) the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, Alpha and Omega (Α, Ω); and (3) occasionally a few selected psalms, “His foun-dation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwell-ings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God!” (Psa. 87:1,2), “… Even Your Altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God” (Psa. 84:3).

The CIBoRIUm oR CanoPY

The majority of the main Coptic altars are surrounded by a wooden or stone (marble) canopy that rests upon four pillars of stone or marble. The word “ciborium” is taken from the Greek word “kiborion” (κιβώριον), which is, originally, the hollow seed case of the Egyptian water lily. This word is used liturgically to refer to (1) the canopy of the altar; (2) the covering suspended over the bishop’s throne; and (3) the vessel used to contain the holy communion for the sick.

Although the Coptic altar is bare of any ornament, the Coptic ciborioum was always rich in paintings, on both the interior and exterior surfaces. The icon of the Lord sur-rounded by the cherubim and seraphim occupies the center of the dome. The icons of the four evangelists are above the four pillars. A large cross is in the center.

The TRIBUne

Behind the altar and around the eastern wall of the sanctuary, lies the tribune. This is often made of marble or stone, and consists of seven semi-circular steps. The steps repre-sent the orders of priesthood. Typical examples are present in the Church of St. Mina, in Mariut, and in the Churches of Babylon, in Old Cairo (The suspended Church of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, St. Sergius, St. Mercurius, and St. Barbara).

On the tribune, seats for the presbyter are fitted, and in the center of the top step stands the seat of the patriarch or the bishop. From this seat, the patriarch or the bishop gives his sermon. This shows us that the clergy has no superiority over the congregation, they are simply the servants of the altar. The bishop’s throne is also called the “synthronos” σύνθρονος, σύνθρονο, or σύνθρονον).

The church that is provided with such a seat is known as a cathedral. The bishop’s throne is a sign of the bishop’s authority. They are instated on their thrones on the day of their consecration, or in a separate ceremony.

The Bishop’s Throne Currently. Due to the expansion ofthe sizes of the church buildings, a bishop’s seat is added to the chancel (i.e. the seat of St. John Chrysostom), to enable the congregation to hear him with greater ease. Currently, it is in this seat, called “cathedra”

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(καθέδρα) that the hierarch sits during certain periods of the services. Unfortunately, not a single synthronos is now left in the tribune of Coptic Orthodox churches.

The nIChe

The niche is the apse at the eastern wall of the sanctuary that surrounds the tTribune. It is often occupied with the icon of the Lord Jesus Christ, coming on a cloud, carried by the cherubim and the seraphim, the four living creatures with the twenty four presbyters offering incense. The Lord appears to be holding the Book of Life in one hand, for He is the Almighty One. In the other hand He holds the pastoral rod or a globe, for He is the Shepherd and the Redeemer Who liberates humanity from the captivity of sin. In this way, the niche represents the bosom of God, for the Lord longs for His Church and she awaits His coming.

In front of this icon, a sanctuary lamp is permanently lit. It is known as the “perpetual lamp” or the ever-burning lamp. It represents the star that appeared to the wise men and guided them to where the Lord was born. Directly above the icon, in most cases, there is a small window through which the sunbeam enters at sunrise.

In the Church, there are several special vessels to be used in the services. After being consecrated with prayers and anointed with the holy Chrism, by the bishop, they are only used for the service of God.

The ChalICe anD sPoon

In the chalice, wine and water are mixed, they convert into the holy blood of Jesus, with the prayers of the Divine Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Lord Himself used the chalice (Matthew 24:26,27). St Paul called it the Cup of Blessing and the Cup of the Lord (cf. 1 Cor.10:16-21).

Materials

Early chalices were commonly made of wood, glass, pottery or brass. By the third and fourth centuries, precious metals were used such as gold and silver, set with jewels. St.Clement of Alexandria vigorously opposed the use of gold and precious stones. Some fa-thers sold these precious vessels to give their value to the poor. Coptic priests and deacons were martyred because of their refusal to give the Church vessels to their persecutors.

Shape

The Coptic chalice has a bell-shaped form; the stem is long and rests on a circular stang. In the Coptic Church, where the chalice was not withdrawn from the laity, there was only one chalice used. On the other hand, in estern churches, there are two types of chalices: (1) the chalice of consecration, and (2) the ministerial chalice, or “seyphus”, which was used for laymen who administered the blood because since the 15th Century, the chalice of consecration was not handled by laymen.

use

According to the Coptic Orthodox Rite, wine is mixed with about one tenth up to a maximum of one third water, as blood and water flowed from the Savior’s pierced side.

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The spoon, (In Copticand in Greek) is used to commune the precious blood of Christ in the Divine Liturgy. It is said that it was used only from the sixth century.

The PaTen anD sTaR (asTeRICK)

It is a small round tray without a stand and it has no engraving. It is made of metal, stainless steel, silver or gold. The Lord may not have used a paten, for He consecrated the bread on His Hands. Because the Divine Liturgy takes a long time, the paten is needed.

It consists of two silver (or metal) arched bands crossed over each other, in the shape of a cross, and held together with a screw. It is usually surmounted by a small cross. It is said that St. John Chrysostom had introduced this vessel, because the shape of a tomb and reminds us of the star that appeared to the wise men.

The CRUeTs

They are the two vessels for holding the wine and water for the eucharist. There are oth-er cruets used in the Coptic Church, such as those for the holy Chrism (myron), oil of joy, and the apocalypse oil (used on last Friday of the Great Fast)

The aRK

It is the wooden box placed in the middle of the altar. Its name in Coptic means the seat or the throne, and it is used as the chalice stand. It is usually cubical in shape. The top is closed with two flaps. It is beautifully carved, and inlaid with ivory, and it is dec-orated with four small icons. It is called the throne because it represents the presence of the crucified Lord. It is also called the ark because we are saved by the blood of the New Testament, like Noah who was saved through the ark; or because it resembles the ark of the covenant, which contained:

• The tablets of the law that represents Jesus Christ,• The plate of manna that represents the life giving body of Christ (John 6)• Aaron’s rod that flowered represents the Virgin Mary who gave birth to the Incar-

nate Lord.

The GosPel oR BIshaRa

A copy of the gospels, covered with silver or gold, and decorated on one side with the icon of the resurrection or the crucifixion, and on the other side, with the icon of the pa-tron saint of the church, or of the holy Virgin Mary carrying the child Jesus. Originally, it was the seasonal katameros, from which the daily readings were read.

The CRoss

The cross is one of the altar vessels. The use of the cross in Christian daily life, in wor-ship, in hurch buildings, and in the liturgical services began early in Christianity, because the cross is our glory. The use of the cross on a large scale in hurch buildings started in the fourth century, especially after the appearance of a coss in the sky to the Emperor Con-stantine, and the discovery of the holy cross by his mother, Queen Helen.

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During the Liturgical Services, the Priest uses a hand cross as an article of the holy vessels. He uses it in all the priestly ministering, in crossing the oblation, the incense, in consecrating the baptismal water, in blessing the bridal couple, in giving peace to God’s people, and in asking for the absolution of sins. He holds it while reading the Bible, and addressing the sermons.

The CenseR oR ThURIBle

The thurible is a brass or silver vessel in the shape of a cup in which incense is burned, This container is suspended with three chains, from which it can be swung during incens-ing. In our Church, the censer symbolizes the Holy Virgin Mary who bore the “true coal burning with fire,” that is the incarnate Son of God. Its chains represent the Holy Trinity, Who participated in the incarnation of the Logos.

osTRICh eGGs

One main feature that distinguishes ancient Coptic churches from Byzantine ones is the ostrich eggs. They are suspended before the iconostasis between the icons. Eggs generally held a symbolic meaning in the early church, as a hope of resurrection, or the risen spir-itual life in Christ. There is a traditional belief that the ostrich, after laying her eggs, must keep looking at them, in order to speed up their hatching, So, when we go to hurch, we have to concentrate all our thought and attention to the divine worship, leaving behind us all earthly worries.

lIGhTs anD lamPs

• The use of lights in the church goes back to the days of Moses, when God com-manded him to put the lamps in the tabernacle “He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlesticks before the Lord continually” (Lev. 24:4).

• Solomon placed the lampstand and lamps in the House of God, in the same order of the old tabernacle (2 Chr. 4:20).

• Lamps in the church are not merely used for lighting at night, but they are con-tinually lit, as God had commanded that all lamps should be lit continually (Ex. 27:20).

• The apostles also used lamps during their liturgical celebrations, as indicated in the Book of Acts. When the disciples came together to break bread, there were many lamps in the upper room where they had gathered (Acts 20:7,8). If lamps were used for lighting at night only, there was no need to mention this in the Bible.

• The Didascalia (Chapters 10 and 35) mentions, “The Church should be lit with a lot of lamps like the sky, particularly at the time of reading the Divine Books.”

• St. Gregory of Nazianzus said, “The use of candles and oil lamps was among all the rites and orders of the Church at the time of the celebration of the sacraments.”

• The custom of use of lamps relates to apostolic tradition, and is preserved even during daylight hours in eastern and western churches.

The purposes of using the lamps are:

• To remind the worshipper of Christ’s transfiguration, as St. John’s vision of lights

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surrounding Christ in every direction (Rev. 1:12).• The Church is a lampstand. St. John has seen seven golden lampstands that refer to

the seven churches (Rev. 1:12), and seven lamps in front of the throne (Rev. 4:5). Lights refer to the glory of the Church (Rev. 21:22,23). The Church on earth re-sembles the Heavenly Church, therefore, it should be ornamented with lamps that are like the stars of heaven.

• They remind the congregation to be “The lights of the world” (Phil. 2:15). “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:43). Therefore, candles are lit in front of the icons of the saints.

Candles are lit in front of the sacrifices:

• According to God’s commandment, that the lamp stand should shine before the table of bread.

• To prove that the light of Christian belief has lit our hearts through this non-blood sacrifice (2 Cor.4:6), that took us from darkness to His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9)

• To indicate that Jesus Christ serves the sacraments, and that He is the True Light that comes to the world (Jn. 1:19; 1 Tim. 6:16; Psa. 93:1).

• So that whoever comes to partake in the sacrifice should “cast off the works of darkness” and “put on the armor of light” (Rom. 12:12), and “shall not walk in darkness” (Jn. 8:12).

• To indicate that the service of the New Testament is more glorified that the Old Testament (2 Cor. 3:7-11).

In addition, candles reflect the following symbolism:

• Candles are lit at the time of reading the Holy Scriptures to indicate the light of the Gospel (2 Cor. 4:4), and that the Word of God is light (Prov. 6:23). They are also lit to point out the joy for the good tidings of the Gospel that Jesus is the Light of the World.

• The Candle also resembles St. John the Baptist who was a “Burning and shining lamp” (Jn. 5:35).

• While giving the benediction to the congregation, the priest may also hold candles with the cross to indicate that Christ, who was nailed to the Cross, is the Light of the world. (John 8:12).

• Very often, the Churches use pure olive oil (Ex. 27:20).• Candles should be made of honeycomb, which is pure as it is gathered from var-

ious flowers that resemble the various virtues the believers should acquire (2 Pet. 1:5,6).

THE ICONOSTASISThe iconostasis, or Icon stand, represents one of the most important architectural fea-

tures of Orthodox churches. It is a rigid screen of wood or marble, carrying the icons of the Lord, His angels, and His saints. It lies between the sanctuary and the nave.

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DesIGn

Original designs of iconostases were made very early in the Christian churches, and they were mentioned in the writings of the early Church fathers. However, the shape and height of these screens varied. On the side of the sanctuary, a curtain was fitted, and it was opened and closed in accordance with the various stages of the services. This means that the Sanctuary is visible and inaccessible at the same time.

FUnCTIons

The most valid motive for the introduction of the iconostasis came as a defense against the iconoclastic movement. The Church wished to confirm our relation with the angel-ic beings and saints. It is also a sign of reverence towards the mystery of the altar or the mystery of Christ the Sacrifice. Although this does not mean that the people do not share in the prayers of the Eucharist.

The DooRs

The Coptic iconostasis usually has three doors: the royal door that opens to the main sanctuary, and two other doors for the north and southern sanctuaries. The Royal Door existed since the early generations of sanctuary screens. It is named “royal” because it is through this door that the priest selects the “Lamb Bread” which ischanged into the Holy Body of the Lord, the King of Kings! The three doors in the iconostasis refer to the Holy Trinity in declaring the reconciliation between God and man. Only the clergy are allowed to enter through sanctuary doors. Sometimes there are other side doors through which the deacons may enter for the processions of the feasts.

Upon entering the sanctuary, the priest must enter through the door on the right hand side, and step in with his right foot, facing the altar with his bowed head. When stepping out, he leaves through the door on the left side, with his left foot, keeping his eyes fixed on the altar. This is to confirm that the inner eyes are focused upon the throne of God. The keys to these doors are usually kept with the archdeacon. The doors are usually decorated with icons and some verses (Psa. 23:6; Psa. 147:12,13; or Psa. 118:19,20). Folding doors were found in some Coptic iconostases, as in the Church of St. Mary in the Syrian Mon-astery in Wadi Natroun, and also in the Monastery of Anba Bishoy. They can completely cover the sanctuary when closed and fully exposed it when opened.

WInDoWs

In ancient Churches, there existed two small windows on each side of the sanctuary doors, at a level of one and half meter from the ground. They were originally used during the time of persecution, when two deacons watched the church for any attack, and noti-fied the priest to hide the Sacrifice. Sometimes, these windows were used for giving com-munion through them.

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The ORDeR oF The ICons

These follow a certain tradition. When facing the iconostasis, on the right side of the Royal Door, we can see:

• The icon of our Lord Jesus Christ holding a page from the Gospel, on which is written, “I am the Good Shepherd” because He is the unique Gate leading to the Heavenly Kingdom, and the Good Shepherd Who opened the gates of Heaven.

• The icon of the forerunner, St. John the Baptist.• The icon of the patron saint of the church.• Selected icons of saints and martyrs.

On the left side of the royal door, we can see:

• The icon of the Holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos. She represents the whole Church, and the Queen who sits at the right hand side of the King, Jesus Christ.

• The icon of the Annunciation.• The icon of the Archangel Michael.• The icon of St. Mark the Evangelist.• A selection of icons of famous Apostles.

Directly above the royal door, the icon of the Last Supper is mounted, which signifies the office of Christ as a priest.

To the left and right of the icon of the Last Supper are the icons of the twelve disciples. This gives the apostolic feature of the Church.

On the top of the iconostasis, a cross is mounted, as it was written, “ … Before whose eyes, Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among us” (Gal. 3:1). To the left of the cross is the icon of the Holy Virgin Mary, and to the right is St. John the Beloved.

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THE MYSTERY OF HOLY BAPTISM

The mysTery of Baptism is the first sacrament and the door of member-ship in the Christian church. By baptism, the believer can enjoy the rest of

the sacraments. Baptism is one of the oldest practices and rituals of Christianity.

ORIGINS OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISMOur Lord received baptism from St. John the Baptist, during which a special

theophany of the Holy Trinity that asserted the divine sonship of the Messiah. This sonship was to be communicated to all of the Messiah’s brothers and sisters through the grace of adoption. Our Lord Jesus Christ is not only a recipient of baptism, but He alone all the giver of baptism. “This He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (Jn. 1:29-34, 3:22-26). He also commanded the apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:28). This gives the origin of the formula of baptism.

The rite of baptism was practiced clearly in the Book of Acts as the first step to Christianity just as the church came to birth in the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41) and the eunuch of Queen Candace was baptized by Philip (Acts 8:26-38, 16:15, 16:33; 19:5).

The oldest text to be found outside the Bible is a little book of Syrian origin that goes back to the end of the first or the beginning of the second century. (Didache 7:1-4). In the mid-second century St. Justin’s first apology has a section on the initia-tion of baptism in which he presents baptism as the sacrament of the forgiveness of sins and of new birth.1 The Apostolic Traditions attributed to Hippolytus, written in Rome about 215-225 includes various revisions that the apostolic tradition and the Didache underwent in the East. It is adapted from Coptic, Ethiopian and Arabic versions.2

There are also pre-baptismal catecheses given to the candidates for baptism. The best known of these catecheses date to around the end of the fourth century. These include those of St. Ambrose of Milan, the sermons of St. Cyril of Jerusalem which he gave during the Great Fast of 347 AD, and the writings of his successor Theodore of Mopsuestia at Cilicia in Iraq (428 AD), and St. John Chrysostom at Antioch and St. Augustine in Africa.3

1 St. Justin, Apologia I 61, 2-3.2 Among these revisions include (1) The Didache of the Apostles which dates back to the first half of the third century; the Apostolic Constitutions (written about 380), which contains three passages on baptism; the Testament of our Lord, which dates to fifth century in Syria.3 This work was discovered 1932 by Mingana in Syria English and contains detailed explanation of Baptism of Eucharist.

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PREPARATION AS CATECHUMENThe members of the Church consist of two types:believers who have been baptized and

the catechumens who are to be prepared for baptism.

In the first centuries, the church prepared those coming for baptism. This preparation needed great care and attention. No one would become a member of the Church unless they thoroughly understood the Christian life and would remain steadfast in the faith. Those candidates required greater care especially at that time when persecution on one side and heterodox sects on the other side caused great apostasies.

There were two types of catechumen:

(1) The listeners - those who presented themselves forthe first time to hear the word. They were allowed to attend exhortations (or sermons) and to hear parts of the Bible but were not allowed to attend the prayers of the church.

(2) The enlightened - the chosen whose names had been given to the bishop and wereprepared for baptism (ApTrad, 20)

Throughout the entire period of preparation, catechumens were aided by seasoned be-lievers who communicated to them their own experience of the Christian life and would attest to the catechumen’s progress before Church authorities. The faithful who accepted this role were known by various names, including “sponsors,” by Tertullian and Theodore,4 “Fathers and Mothers” by Egeria, and “spiritual fathers” by St. John Chrysostom. Hippoly-tus says “Those who have brought them [gave]evidence as to whether they are capable of hearing the word.”5

The very word “hearers” or “listeners” shows the importance of catechesis or instruction during the period of preparation for baptism. The instructor may be a cleric or a layper-son.6 According to the apostolic tradition, “the catechumens are to hear the word for three years. But if individuals are zealous and apply themselves persistently to the work, they are to be assessed not by the length of time but by their behavior.”7 While this custom varied from place to place, baptism was often permitted as soon as three months, espe-cially in cases of serious illness.8 On the other hand, some catechumens delayed the time of their initiation, until they were on their deathbeds because they were hesitant when confronting the demands of Christian life.

According to Egeria the Pilgrim, those who are about to be baptized in Jerusalem around 400 AD had to submit their names before the start of the Great Fast to be record-ed or registered.9 Once the catechumen committed themselves in such a way, they were given a new name. In Rome they were called “the chosen” (electus). In the West, they were called “candidates” (competens), and in the East, they were called “the enlightened ones”(-photizomenos, or those who were on the way to being enlightened).

4 Tertullian, On Baptism 18, 4. Theodore of Mopsuestia also uses this terminology.5 Apostolic Tradition, 15 (Botte, 33).6 Apostolic Tradition, 19 (Botte, 40-41).7 Apostolic Tradition, 17 (Botte, 38-39).8 See Council of Elvira, canon 42.9 J. Wilkinson, trans., Egeria’s Travels (London: SPCK, 1971), 143-144.

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If the candidate was judged by any person, the bishop would send him out, asking him to correct his life before coming back to be baptized. This test wasperformed according to the apostolic teaching which says, “Those who are ready for baptism must be examined about their lives and conduct, if those who brought them give evidence in favor of them they start to hear the Bible.”

Registering the names of the candidate for baptism refers to the recording of the elect in the heavenly Book of Life.10 St. Cyril of Jerusalem considered those who passed the exam-ination to have been in a time of retreat during the forty days.

THE FINAL PREPARATION11

The conclusion and climax of the baptismal preparation during the Great Fast was a series of rites that included the recitation of the Creed (often done on Palm Sunday or Great Thursday, and usually after some explanation of the Creed)12 and the Lord’s prayer. According to the Apostolic Tradition (which is the same as the Egyptian Church Order of 215 AD), the catechumens keep an all-night vigil before their baptism. During this time, they keep vigil in prayer while listening to the Scriptures and sermons. Many of these rituals were more ancient than the Great Fast itself, as we have seen from the testimony of Tertullian and St. Justin. There is also some variation in these customs from one region to another.

THE WASHING OF REGENERATIONSanctification of the water of baptism takes place before the baptism. As we see in the

apostolic teachings, the water must be sanctified13 such that “our Lord might sanctify and cleanse His Church with the washing of the water by the word” (Eph. 5:26). And again, “According to His mercy He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Theodore of Mopsuestia says that first the bishop comes and says the written word and “asks God that the Grace of the Holy Spirit may come upon the water and make it capable of bearing.”14 And St. Ambrose says, “Not all water heals but only water that has the grace of Christ. Water is an instrument; it is the Holy Spirit Who acts. Water heals only when the Spirit descends upon it to consecrate it.”15

This is the solemn moment of baptism. The candidate stands beside the font which is already sanctified. After the bishops asked him three times about his faith asking, “Do you believe?” he answers “I believe.” Then he descends in the baptistery till water reaches his chest. Then the bishop or the priest extends his hands over his head and immerses him in the water three times saying the baptismal formula. “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

10 cf. Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:15.11 This section is adapted from Martimort, Sacraments, 34-43.12 One famous example of this is St. Ambrose’s Explanatio symboli, although he does not mention the precise time when the candidates recited the creed.13 Apostolic Tradition, 21 (Botte, 44).14 Theodore of Mopsuestia, Catechetical Homilies, 14.9.15 St. Ambrose, On the Sacraments, 1.15.

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Water is the dwelling place of the wicked powers that stir up deadly storms at sea and the destructive floods that occur when currents suddenly rush through riverbeds. Cyril of Jerusalem is reminded of the monster Behemoth swallowing the Jordan (Job 40:15, 23).

But ever since creation when the Spirit of God hovered over the waters (Gen 1:2) water has also been the place from which life emerges. So, our Lord can speak to Nicodemus about “being born again of water and the Spirit” (Jn. 3:5). Theodore of Mopsuestia says that, “Just as the maternal womb receives the seed for a fleshly birth...so the water (of bap-tism) becomes a womb for those born of it, but it is the grace of the Spirit that forms the baptized therein for a second birth.”16 So baptism in water is likeness of the death of Christ and resurrection with Him.

Water also signifies divine purification (Eph. 5:26) and washing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). A new creation takes places in the configuration to the new Adam who died and rose from the dead. The Apostolic Constitutions (7:43) includes this prayer: “Sanctify this water so that who are baptized may be crucified with Christ, die with Him, be buried with Him and rise with Him to be adopted children” (cf. Rom. 6:3-11).

THE RITES AFTER BAPTISMPutting on the white clothes takes place after coming out of the baptismal water. Since

the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth centuries--as is mentioned in the Apostolic Constitutions (3:16) and the Euchologion of Serapion (25)--the anointing with the oil of Chrismation is performed after the baptismal bath. The baptized then puts on the white clothes and will not take off these white clothes for one week; that is from the Feast of Resurrection Sunday to Thomas Sunday.

As Tertullian says,

Therefore, you blessed ones, for whom the grace of God is waiting, when you come up from that most sacred washing of the new birth and when for the first time you spread out your hands with your brothers in your mother’s house, ask of Your Fa-ther, ask of your Lord, that special grants of grace and apportionments of spiritual gifts be yours.”17

St. Didymus the Blind says, “The font is the instrument of the Trinity for salvation of all people, it became the mother of all the Holy Spirit and still remains virgin.”

THE WHITE GARMENTS• New Man. They replace the old clothes which are the symbol of the old man.• Purity. St. Ambrose said that after baptism, one should put on white clothes asa

sign of taking off the garment of sin and putting on the garment of purityand chas-tity.

• The First State of Adam. After the fall of Adam and Eve, they felt that they were naked. Putting on the white garments after baptism is like the grace which is above

16 Theodore of Mopsuestia, Catechetical Homilies, 14.9.17 Tertullian, On Baptism, 20.

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nature, which returns back to the pure nature of Adam.• Eschatological Meaning. An eschatological meaning is found behind the white gar-

ments of the 24 presbyters who appear before the throne of God in Rev. 4:4, and the martyrs beneath the heavenly altar in Rev. 6:11.

After the baptized recites the Lord’s Prayer, he is considered a new plant in the church (neophyte) and he has the right to attend the liturgy and take communion. The baptized always takes communion immediately after the baptism. It was a custom in Alexandria and Rome to give the baptized some milk and honey after taking communion, as a symbol of his entrance to the heavenly land of Cana, the land that flows with milk and honey in the Promised Land.

THE BAPTISM OF CHILDRENThe Church accepted very early onthe legitimacy of baptizing children.18 Origen speaks

of the practice as being apostolic in origin.19 From Tertullian, we know that children in North Africa were baptized as early as the second century.20 Apostolic tradition clarifies that children were baptized in the same rite as adults.21 St. Cyprian of Carthage also men-tions its importance.22

If a child dies without being baptized, then onemust search for the cause and if it was due to the carelessness of the parents then they must be punished by prevention from communion for one year with fasting and prayer. Also, the same punishment would be for parents who give an excuse to delay the baptism because they say the priest is not righ-teous. The punishment is to discipline them not to judge their shepherd, as the effect of the sacrament does not depend on the sanctify of the priest.

God gave the authority to His holy Apostles saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). According to this authority, the apostles performed the sacrament of bap-tism to everyone who believed in Christ as written in the book of Acts (Act 8:38). They gave this authority to their successors after them; to the bishops and priests as it is clear from the apostolic constitutions and writings of the fathers, from the Apostolic Canons (47, 49)

When the Church practiced baptism in special times during the first century, baptism was done only under the direct supervision of the bishops with the priest. When Christi-anity spread, most of the baptized were children. These children were baptized at any time of the year by priests with the assistance of deacons. As was mentioned in the writings of the early fathers, laymen did not hesitate to perform baptism in very urgent cases, as with those seriously ill and when there was no available priest.

Baptism of those who are seriously ill (near death) can be baptized either by pouring (infusion), or sprinkling. This teaching was from the early centuries of Christianity and

18 Martimort, Sacraments, 62.19 Origen, Commentary on Romans, 5.9 (PG 14:1047).20 Tertullian, On Baptism, 18.4-6.21 Apostolic Tradition, 21 (Botte, 44).22 St. Cyprian of Carthage, Letter of Cyprian to All His People, 43 (40), 5; Letter of Cyprian to Fidus, 64 (59), 5.

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is mentioned in the writings of early church fathers. In cases of extreme necessity, when a layman baptizes or when baptism is done by pouring or sprinkling and the person lived, his baptism is not repeated, but it has to be completed in the Church and is anointed with the holy myron. In cases of emergency (danger of death), and there is a priest from anoth-er diocese, he can baptize this person, but he has to record this by witness of two or three people. The western churches did not practice baptism by pouring or sprinkling until the thirteenth century.

The prayers and rites of baptism in the Coptic Church have changed very little from what was practiced in the first centuries. The writings of early church fathers contain many direct and indirect signs similar to the Coptic rites. The present Coptic baptismal rite is similar to what is written in Coptic language (Order of the Coptic Church) and also in the Ethiopian copy that dates back to the third century.

TYPES OF OILSThree types of oil are used in Sanctification of the Water and anointing the baptized.

7. Simple oil is the regular olive oil used in the church and it is called “simple” in or-der to differentiate it from other holy ols. Usually it is the oil of Apocalypse night.

8. Oil of Joy (Galiloan). The word is of Greek origin = oil of gladness. It is constantine or olive oil in which is boiled the remaining parts after the Myron.

9. Holy Myron. It is a Greek word which means “oil.” This is the holy chrism and it is composed of many ingredients and was made the first time by the Apostles.

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NOTES

Chapter 4

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THE MYSTERY OF HOLY CHRISMATION

This is The second of the seven Mysteries through which the baptized is sealed by the Holy Spirit, confirmed in faith and strengthened in grace and

grows in the spiritual life.

The Mystery originated when our Lord Jesus Christ referred to the Holy Spirit saying, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, Whom those believ-ing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:38,39).

This was also the practice of the disciples after baptism (Acts 2:38), when they would lay hands on the baptized for the Holy Spirit to come upon them (Acts 8:14, 8:17, 19:5-6). Now, rather than the laying of hands, the Mystery is performed by the anointing with the holy myron. The disciples who granted the gifts of the Holy Spirit by the laying of hands advised us that it could be performed by anointment, since Christianity was spreading all over the world andit was impossible for the disciples to travel and lay hands on the newly baptized. The disciples made the myron and distributedit to the bishops and the priests whom they ordained, giv-ing them the authority to anoint the newly baptized. As the bishop breathes on the mouth of the priest when he ordains him, also the priest breathes in the face of the baptized after anointing him by the myron and says receivingthe Holy Spirit.“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2), “Now He who es-tablishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Cor 1:21-22). There is a ref-erence to this also in the first epistle of John “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things… But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (1 John 2:20, 27). St. John lived to the end of the first century AD.

The holy myron consists of about 30 kinds of ointments including myrrh, aloes and cassia (Psa. 45:8). Pure olive oil was then added.

The myron is given several names: (1) “the anointing of the pledge of heaven” or “anointment of the communion of eternal life” (2) Chrism, meaning “of Christ,” or “Messiah” (see Isa. 61:1, Lk. 4:18, Jn. 10:24-25). So he was called Christos and the newly-baptized in His likeness after being anointed with the myron is called “Christianos.” (3) “Seal” (Sphragis in Greek), because the Mysteries print a sign on the heart. So we pray and say “a never broken seal” and “a life-giving seal.” “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us in God. Who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Cor 1:21-22; Eph 1:13). The Roman Catholic Church refers to this Mystery as confirmation

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since the 15th century when Chrism was separated from baptism as a separate Mystery conducted on a different day and year.

Through the Mystery of Holy Chrismation we get the gift of the Holy Spirit (the promise of the Father and the knowledge of the Father and the Son (John 16:14-15).

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NOTES

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THE MYSTERY OF HOLY REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION

The mysTery of Repentance and Confession, or penitence, is the Mystery of reconciliation of the sinner with God by confessing his or her sins to the

priest. By doing so, the penitent is absolved by the priest by virtue of the authority bestowed on him by our Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, the sinner is renewed and his sins are forgiven.

The Greek word,Metania, means the change of mind or heart to the correct direction, penitence is the guard of baptism and the continuity of its effect. Asthe baptized wears the white garment, is crowned and carries a candle while entering the church, penitence keeps our purity and we are crowned by the crown of strife and victory, carrying the illuminated lamps to the kingdom of heaven, “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35). Penitence is the way to be prepared and worthy of taking communion. Penitence cannot be fulfilled and adjusted without being guided by the word of God, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3).

CONDITIONS OF REPENTANCE

1. DeeP ConTRITIon anD ReGReT In The heaRT FoR The sIns

• “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. Those O God will not despise” (Ps 51:17).

• Also, like the prodigal son “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21).

• And the tax collector, “tanding afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13).

• Read also, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted” (2 Cor 7:10).

2. FIRm DeTeRmInaTIon To CoRReCT one’s WaY oF lIFe

As John the Baptist said to the Pharisees, therefore bear fruits worthy of repen-tance. Read also what our Lord said to the one was paralyzed 38 years, “Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (John 5:14), the preaching of St Peter, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19) and the message to the angel of church of Ephesus, “Remember therefore from where you

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have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (Rev 2:5).

3. STRonG FaITh In JesUs ChRIsT anD GReaT asPIRaTIon FoR ThIs KInDness

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 2:12). Also read, “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43) and (Heb 7:25). The good example is the repentance of the sinner woman who enters the house of Simon the Pharisee when the Lord said to her “Then He said to the woman, Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:50).

4. Verbal confession of sins before the priest who is God’s representative. Read (Lev 5:5,6), (Lev 26:40-42), (Deut 26:3), “If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom” (Job 31:33), “So David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Sam 12:13), (Matt 18:17-18), (John 20:22-23), (James 5:14-16).5. Faith in God that gives the real rest, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).

PRACTICING THE MYSTERYFrom an old rite we find this practice:

• Standing in front of God – by personal praying because sin was directed to God Himself “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ And you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Ps 32:5).

• Presence of the priest as a witness between God and the penitent “and that repen-tance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, begin-ning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:47-48). Also as David did in front of Nathan the prophet (2 Sam 12:7-13).

• Admitting and confessing the sin – uncovering the sinful thought will weaken its power

• Absolution

After the person makes a full confession of his or her sins with humility, he kneels in front of the priest and asks for absolution, which means pardon and forgiveness from the Lord who accepts the sincere repentance of the sinners.

Before the priest says the prayer of absolution, it is beneficial for the confessor to recite the Lord’s Prayer and Psalms of repentance (32 & 38) also the prayers of Manasseh the King (II Chr 23:12). Then, the confessor kneels and bows his head in humility and the priest may say the following prayer:

We ask You. Our Holy Father, the lover of goodness, do not lead us into tempta-tion and do not let transgressions overcome me but rather save us from the sinful acts and the filthy thoughts and their applications spare us, the temptations of our enemies, the devils and protect us from the sinful thoughts that would lead to the

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destruction of our souls, spare us the counsel of the evil and safeguard us with your strong right hand because you are our supporter and helper. You bring delight to our heart with the grace and compassion of your only begotten Son our God and Savior Jesus Christ to whom is Glory, honor, dominion and worship now and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Then the priest puts his cross on thehead of the repentant and prays the three absolu-tions. The first and the second are called the Prayer of Submission to the Son, and the third is known as the Absolution of the Son.

FROM THE HISTORYThe first element of giving discipline to the penitent is to date from the second and the

third centuries from then its liturgical organization becomes more and more well defined.

The practice of post-baptismal forgiveness of sins in the case of a serious fall first ap-pears in the middle of the second century in The Shepherd, a book written by Hermas.

The practiceof penance required a lengthy period of time during which penitents were prevented from communion and had to engage in active practices of repentance.

The length of the penance varied from one period of history to another, and from one region to another according to the seriousness of the sin committed. According to the laws of St. Basil and Hypolitus (330 – 379), there were severe punishments forsevere sins like adultery which can lead to prohibiting communion for years. But according to the council of Nicea, the penitent near death could be reconciled. Also in the case of the dying person, after confession he was immediately reconciled. On the other hand the Didascalia of the Apostles (third century) gives examples of penance lasting only a few weeks.

The sins of the clerics were the object of a special discipline. The bishop was the one who judged when the penitent was ready to be reconciled with God.

The fathers stressed the importance of the congregational prayers for these people. St. Ambrose urges the penitent to seek the intercession of the holy people saying “let Mother Church weep for you and wash away your sin with her tears … (Christ) wants to see the many praying for the one.”

It should be mentioned that the punishment which the priest imposes on the penitent is a spiritual remedy for improving the behavior of the confessor.

These punishments are not the repayment of a debt to fulfill a divine justice for a com-mitted sin, but rather a spiritual discipline to strengthen the determination of the sinner to abandon his sins. Examples of these church disciplines are:

• Special fasting• Special prayers with a number of prostrations (metanias)• Prohibiting communion for a certain time• Paying back any stolen money (Zacchaeus, Luke 19)

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NOTES

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THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST

iT is a Holy Mystery by which the believer eats the holy body and drinks the precious blood of Jesus Christ, presented in the form of bread and wine. Jesus

referred and prepared for this Mystery after the miracle of feeding the 5000 with five loaves of bread when he spoke to the Jews; He shifted from the earthly food to the heavenly food. He said “I am the bread of the life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world” (John 6:48-51).

The Lord Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist on Covenant Thursday, after he celebrated the rite of Passover of the Jews. The Passover Lamb refers to the true sacrifice which is the sacrifice of the cross. “He took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat, this is My Body’, then He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to His disciples saying ‘Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remis-sion of sins’” (Matt. 26:26-28).

A. THE LITURGYThe word “liturgy” in classic Greek means a “public service undertaken on behalf

of the people.” It comes from “laos” meaning “people” (λαος) and “ergia” mean-ing “work” (εργον). This relates to the “service of the altar or the priestly service (cf. Heb. 8:6, 9:21), as mentioned about Zechariah the priest (Lk. 1:23), Barnabas and Simon (Acts 13:2). The Church has used this term since the apostolic age to include all the worship that is officially organized by her and which is offered by all her members. In the course of time, this term has come to be particularly applied to the administering of the Eucharist, although there are other liturgies, as the Liturgy of Baptism, and the Liturgy of Marriage.

B. SYMBOLS OF THE EUCHARIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. PassoveR

God visited the land of bondage on the night when the paschal meal was eaten (Passover), in the house of the faithful. He joined them to pass to the land of free-dom. On the day of the paschal celebration, Christ, our new Passover, offered to us His Body and His Blood as a true sacrifice and a true paschal meal. With Him, and in Him, we pass from the power of darkness to the Kingdom of Light, from the flesh to the spirit. We pass to the new life, accepting His risen life as a joyful jour-ney to heaven. We have redemption and freedom of our sins “For indeed Christ,

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our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Cor.5:7). The liturgy is the journey of the Church to heaven, our Father’s House.

2. The Manna

The Exodus in the Old Testament was a model of the new one. We are guided by Christ whose staff is the Cross; the cloud is the Holy Spirit; the miraculous Manna with which God nourished His sons in the wilderness is the Eucharist which we receive after crossing the Red Sea, which is the Baptism. So our Lord spoke of His body as the living bread (Jn. 6:49, 51). The Manna did not accompany them to the Promised Land, but the heavenly food helps us against death and provides us unity with Christ forever.

3. MelChIzeDeK’s saCRIFICe

It is a single sacrifice in its nature and form. It indicates similarity to the Eucharist (bread and wine), “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Psa. 110:4). Melchizedek had no father, i.e. no genealogy for priesthood. He symbolizes Jesus Who is infinite (Hebrews 7:3). He is not from the tribe of the Levites (priests), nor was Jesus Who came from the tribe of Judah and whose priesthood is above the Levites. He of-fered a sacrifice of bread and wine, like the Eucharist, when our Lord Jesus Christ offered His Body and His Blood. Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek and because Abraham is the father of the Levites, this symbolized that the priesthood of Jesus Christ was higher than the priesthood of the Levites.

4. The ShoWBReaD (Lev. 24:5)

On the Sabbath day, God ordered to put bread on the Holy Table that symbolizes the ltar, For what is holier than the table of Christ.

5. The BanqUeT oF WIsDom

Spoken about in Prov. 9 to all the nations to eat of the bread of wisdom and drink the wine she has mixed. This also relates to the Eucharistic banquet prophesied about by Isa-iah 55:1-3. Everyone who is baptized (i.e. circumcised, not in the flesh, but by the heart) is invited to participate in the Messianic banquet. The table prepared before the enemies in Psalm 22 (23) also speaks of the Holy Communion. The same meal appears also in Song 5:1, of the spiritual union between Christ and the Church.

6. The Coal oF IsaIah (6:6-7)

It touched the lips of Isaiah and sanctified his mouth is likened by St. Ephrem the Syrian to the Body of Christ which sanctifies the believers.

7. The BlooDless OFFeRInG In MalaChI 1:11

Offered to all the Gentiles in all the nations is a type of the Eucharistic offering offered on the altars of the world.

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C. THE EGYPTIAN LITURGIESIn the Pre-Nicene era, the outline of the rites of all the liturgies, in the different churches

of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Rome, etc., had the same structure and pattern, the same spirit and even common phrases. After that time, the liturgical prayers’ texts were subject to constant development and changes, from church to church, and from period to period, as what happened in Rome. Egypt kept the apostolic and patristic spirit of the liturgies and the texts themselves remained the same as they were in the fifth century.

The Egyptian Church now uses only these liturgies of the Eucharist, namely:

• The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia It is different from the Byzantine Liturgy, though it has the same name. It is the most frequently used liturgy in the Church. The prayers are addressed to the Father.

• The Liturgy of St. Gregory, the Theologian of Nazienza, Bishop of Sazima. It is often used in the festive occasions. It is the only liturgy that has all its prayers ad-dressed to God the Son.

• The Liturgy of St. Cyril the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria. It is originally the Liturgy of St. Mark, edited, and perfected by St. Cyril Alexandria. The prayers are addressed to God the Father.

D. THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS, OR “THE DIVINE OFFICE.”• It is a liturgical worship as a preparation for celebrating the Mystery, but it is not a

sacramental service.• It consists of the public ecclesiastic prayers, distinct from the eucharistic and sac-

ramental prayers.• These prayers allow the Church to practice its liturgical life all day, by praising the

Lord and honoring His saints.• We devote all our time to the Lord, by singing psalms and hymns, enjoying the

recitation of the Holy Scriptures, reading the patriarchal sermons and homilies, etc.

• The Divine Office developed greatly when the monastic movement appeared in Egypt.

The Divine Office consists of 4 cycles:

• Daily: Vespers (the Evening Raising of the Incense), Matins (the Morning Raising of the Incense), and the Agpeya (the Book of Hours “Horologion”).

• Weekly: Psalmody (Psalms, Canticles, Doxologies, Theotokions, etc.,) offered throughout the week.

• Monthly: Commemoration of the Feasts:• The Archangel Michael (12th of every Coptic month).• The Holy Virgin Mary (21st of every Coptic month).• The Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Resurrection (29th of every Coptic

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month, except Tubah and Amshir).• Yearly: When we celebrate Feasts and Fasts throughout the year.

According to the Apostolic Tradition, the daily hourly prayers are composed of seven prayers as follows: at sunrise, third, sixth, ninth, before sleeping, midnight (nocturn), at the rooster cry (at the morning watch). These prayers, as currently practiced in its form since the 10th century, as documented by St. Severus Ibn Mokaffa’a (Bishop of Ashmunin) (reposed 987 AD), and they are: Matins, Third, Sixth, Ninth, Eleventh (sunset), Twelfth (compline), and Midnight.

The number of psalms, the number being twelve goes back to the early monastic life practices in Egypt, as recorded by Palladius (390-399) “Twelve psalms are sung in the morning and the evening hours.” Also, according to the writings of St. John Cassian, he adds that after the psalms, two bible passages are added: one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament. But now, only one is read.

As for the litanies (the short prayers following the scriptural passage), it has old origins but evolved to what we have today, and they carry spiritual depths that match every hour.

The Agpeya hours are related to the economy (plan) of salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ, as follows:

• The Matins: commemorates the Resurrection, and thanking God for the new start that are given us by beginning a new day.

• The Third hour: The Holy Spirit was poured on the Disciples on the day of the Pentecost. Also, Pilate’s decision to permit the crucifixion of Christ was at that hour.

• The Sixth hour: Commemorates the Crucifixion of our Lord• The Ninth hour: It is the hour where the Lord delivered His Soul• The Eleventh hour: to point to the bringing of the Body down from the cross• The Twelfth hour: points to the burial of Christ. It is the last hour of the day for the

believer and it reminds us of the end of life (thinking of sleep as a “small” version of death)

• The Midnight prayers: These prayers originated as a result of the growth of vigil prayer into interacting with the morning watch prayers. This contains three watch-es.

STRUCTURE OF THE DIVINE LITURGY

The PRePaRaTIon: BY The PsalmoDY

It is a divine call addressed to the whole world, to give hymns to God the Creator. The Cross or the Sacrifice of the Messiah is the center of the Hymns.

The preparation is usually performed through the Vespers Raising of Incense, the Mid-night Prayers of the Psalmody, and the Matins Raising of Incense.

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The OFFeRToRY

It is the start of the journey, and it also guides the Church in knowing the real expense of the journey, for she must offer her whole life as a sacrifice to and through the Lord.

The LITURGY oF The CaTeChUmens

The ReaDInGs

They are the guide or the map of the journey, by which we know our position towards God and His position towards us. The Church witnesses to God and that is the aim of the journey. She witnesses to Him before her children the believers, and the catechumens, by:

• His Apostles (Pauline and Catholic Epistles).• The Apostolic Acts.• The Acts of the Church (The Synexarium).• His Son (the Gospel).• The Church Ministers (through the Sermon).

These lessons are accompanied by open and secret prayers, so that God may work in their hearts.

The InTeRCessIons: oR lITanIes

• The Church asks for the peace of the Church through the intercession of the Peace of the Church and the World.

• The Church asks for the strength of the Ministers by the intercession of the Fa-thers the Hierarchs.

• The Church asks for the blessing of her meetings by the intercession of the Con-gregations.

PRe-anaPhoRa (asPasmos)

As the Church is prepared to ascend to heaven, she proclaims the reconciliation between God and Man, in Christ, by the Prayer of Reconciliation. The faithful, in response, declare their reconciliation in a practical way, by the Aspasmos, or the Apostolic Kiss.

The lITURGY oF The BelIeveRs, The “anaPhoRa.”

It is the entry to Heaven through the Epiclesis of the Holy Spirit, the unity with Jesus Christ, the spiritual nourishment through the communion of His Holy Body and Blood.

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NOTES

Chapter 7

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THE HOLY MYSTERY OF THE LAMPS (ANOINTING THE SICK)

iT is one of the seven Mysteries of the Church. It is a sacred Mystery where the priest anoints the sick person with oil asking for the grace of God to heal

him from the disease of his body and Spirit. This Mystery must be performed by a presbyter and is performed for believers only. It is also called the Mystery of the Lamp (Lectern) as they used to put the oil in a lamp with seven lamps coming out of it.

Our Lord’s action of healing the sick was a sign of the kingdom and one that he often connected with the forgiveness of sin. He gave his apostles in turn the power to heal through anointing of oil, “And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:13).

This mission was not limited to the time of the church’s beginning. The Epistle of James gives instructions that apply to all times, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders (tous prespyterous) of the church, and let them pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord raise him up. And if he has committed sins he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:14-16).

Visitation of the sick by the Bishop or his priests was a ministry urged upon them by St. Polycarp of Smyrna back in the second century. Hippolytus also ad-vised the bishops to do the same. The earliest formulas for the blessing of oil for the sick was in the Apostolic Tradition which dates back to the beginning of the third century. Among the Armenian, Copts and Western Syrians the rite is called “Ritual of the Lamps.” Each priest in succession (seven among the Armenian and Copts, five among the Syrians) lights a lamp and presides over a liturgy of the word the passage from the letter of James is read everywhere, as the Apostles’ words, what had led to the requirement of several priests participate.

RITEIn the Orthodox Church there was a custom that seven priests perform this Mys-

tery but because this number was not defined by the apostle so they can be three priests or may even be one priest only if he is the only one available.

The priest, the relatives of the sick person, and if possible the sick person himself must be fasting. They bring a dish and put “olive oil” in it and they prepare seven “cotton wicks” in the oil. The seven wicks refer to the seven Spirits of God or seven golden lampstands as St. John saw in Revelation (3:1 and 1:12-13) and was men-tioned in Exodus (Ex. 25:37). The prayer starts by the sign of the cross, the Lord’s Prayer, the Prayer of Thanksgiving, Psa. 51 and the prayer of the sick (as our Lord Jesus Christ is the true physician of our souls and our bodies).

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The Church has arranged a special prayer at the end of each of the seven prayers. All of these prayers focus on the forgiveness of the sins besides asking for healing of the bodily sickness. If there is more than one priest, every one of them will start one of the seven prayers. Finally the priest reads the absolutions and the benediction and anoints the sick person by the oil with the sign of the cross on his forehead, his chest and his two hands. The oil is carefully kept in a bottle. The sick person is anointed by the oil in seven succes-sive days.

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NOTES

Chapter 8

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THE HOLY MYSTERY OF THE PRIESTHOOD (HOLY ORDERS)

one of The seven major Holy Mysteries in which the bishop lays his hands, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, on one of the elected to perform the Church

Mysteries or services.

The word priest is in Coptic (ouyb) from (e;ouab) or holy, because the clergy-man has to be holy and saintly. In the Greek language, priesthood is (ieration) and priest are (ereuc) and means those who are in charge of prayers and services for the people.

OVERVIEW OF TITLES AND OFFICESChrist gave the apostles the ministries of preaching and evangelism to “preach

the gospel to every creature’” (Mk. 16:15), to make disciples, to baptize (Matt. 28:19), to anoint the sick (Jam. 5:14), to forgive sins (Jn. 20:22-23), and to offer the Eucharist (Lk. 22:19, 1 Cor. 11:23, 24). Many titles were also given them such as shepherds (cf. Jn. 21:15-16; Acts 20:28); “stewards of Christ” (Lk. 12:41-42; 1 Cor 4:1; Titus 1:7); “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20; Eph 6:20); and priests (Heb 2:1; Rom 15:16).

The Holy Orders in the Church consists of three main orders: (1) the Deacon or “servant”; (2) the priest or “teacher” and (3) the bishop as “shepherd.”

DEACONThe word deacon or in Greek (diakwn) means servant, the same meaning as in

“shamaas” which is from Syrian origin. The deacon follows the bishop or the priest and serves with him in the church services. The first church ordained seven dea-cons.

ReqUIRemenTs

Acts 6 outlines the conditions of ordaining deacons. They should be filled of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Second, they have to be elected by the church and or-dained by the apostles through laying of their hands. And finally, they are appoint-ed for special service of the church. As St. Paul mentions, the rank of deacons was one of the earliest in the Church (cf. 1 Tim 3:8-13; Phil 1:1).

DeGRees

There are 5 degrees in the order of deacon. These are succession from the lower to the higher degree: (1) Chanter (Psaltos); (2) Reader (Agnostos); (3) Subdeacon (Epi-diacon); (4) Deacon; and (5) Archdeacon. Ordination of all of these degrees

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are performed by the bishop after the Prayer of Reconciliation in the Liturgy of the Eucha-rist.

ChanTeR oR PsalTos ("altoc)

Comes from the Coptic word Psalmos ("almoc). His service is to chant the hymns of the church. Children can be appointed to this degree,“Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength” (Psa. 8:2). The wisdom of giving children this degree is to raise them attached to the church and its faith from their young age.

They are allowed to put on the tunic (tunia) without the stole (patrachel).

The Psaltos is NOT a priesthood rank but a prayer for blessing by which they get the blessing of reciting the hymns in the Church. There is no laying of hands nor cutting of hair but it is brief prayer of blessing.

The bishop instructs the parents to bring their children regularly to the church, and the deacons of higher degree to teach them the Church hymns and rites.

ReaDeR oR AnaGnosTos (anagnwctyc)

ReqUIRemenTs

• He must not be less than 18 years old.• He has to have a good testimony from the congregation.• He has to be nominated by the priest.• He must know how to read the Holy Scriptures and understand them.• He must be living a good Christian life, regular in confession and communication

and ready to serve in humbleness.

DUTIes

• Reading the church readings in Coptic and in native language.• Reciting the “names of the patriarchs who have fallen asleep…” after the prayer of

commemoration in the liturgy of the Eucharist.• Sharing in the church hymns and praises.• They may share in teaching and exhortation.

The RITe oF oRDInaTIon

The nominee of this rank stands in his ordinary clothes, bare-headed and bows his head, the bishop stands on the first step in front of the altar and asks if the nominee is worthy of this rank. If he is worthy the bishop uses a pair of scissors to make five crosses in his hair. One in the middle and four in the shape of the cross. Then he prays the prayer for his or-dination. Cutting the hair is a symbol of getting rid of the old person and the scissors are a symbol of the weapon used which is the word of God and prayers.

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vesTmenTs

He puts on the white tunic and the stole or Patrachel in the shape of a cross on his back. Patrashelion is a Greek word which means grace referring to the grace of this degree. There is no laying of the hands on the Reader and he can marry after taking this degree.

SUBDeaCon oR EPIDIaCon ( `upoudiakwn)

It is a Greek word which means assistant deacon.

ReqUIRemenTs

• He must not be less that 20 years except if he is excellent in his character and in church rites.

• He has to be nominated by the clergy and the church congregation.• He has to have good testimony from the whole church.

DUTIes

• He guards the doors or the entrances of the church and does not allow the here-tics, non-believers, or those who are under punishment from the bishop, as well as animals to enter the church.

• He keeps order and discipline inside the church.• He lights the church candles and prepares the censors.• He keeps the church books and the priests vestments.• He help the deacon and replaces him in his absence.

RITe oF oRDInaTIon

• It is performed by the bishop at the same time as the Reader, but has its special prayers and there is no laying of hands or cutting of the hair.

• He puts on the tunic and patrachel in the same way like the Anagnostos.• The Subdeacon can marry after he has taken this degree.

The DeaCon (diakwn)

He is called in the Syrian language “Shamaas” and in Coptic (refsemse) and means servant. He must be mature and have passed a period of test “But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless” (1 Tim 3:10). He must be “an example to the believers in word in love in spirit in faith in purity” (I Tim 4:12). They should also be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom as with the first seven deacons, “Therefore brothers seek out from among you seven men of good reputation full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom…And they chose Stephen a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,” “whom they set before the Apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them” (Acts 6:6). St. Paul also mentioned these qualifications in 1 Tim 3:8, 9, 12.

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DUTIes

• The deacon instructs the people in all the liturgical prayers in the Eucharist and in the liturgy of baptism as well as other rituals as in consecration of churches or ordinations. Originally those who are allowed to be around the altar were the bish-ops, priests, full deacons and the kings who are anointed with myron.

• He writes the names of those who offer oblations to be mentioned in the Eucharist. There was a special room called the “Diaconia” in the south side of the church for this purpose.

• He is in charge of cleaning the altar and taking care of the altar vessels.• He is allowed to read the gospel in the liturgy.• He can carry the chalice and give the blood of the lord to those taking commu-

nion.• He is allowed to teach and give sermons by special permission from the bishop.

Deacons had a special duty towards teaching the catechumens.• They should visit the sick, prisoners, the widows and orphans and should inform

the bishop about them. The Didache says, “[The] deacon is the eyes and the hands of the bishop.”1 He also carries the alms to the needy.

• He can help the priest in visiting the church congregation.

The RITe oF oRDInaTIon

The deacon is ordained by the laying of the hands because it is one of the orders of the priesthood as mentioned in the Apostolic Laws 53, “As to the deacon, lay hands on him and pray in the presence of all the priests and deacons” (St. Clement).

ARChDeaCon (ar,ydiakwn)

Since deacons are of many degrees, it is necessary to have someone who can direct, advise, and solve any possible problems among them. This person is the archdeacon. He is ordained by the Patriarch or the bishop and is appointed as the head of the deacons.

ReqUIRemenTs

• He must not be less than 28 years old.• He must be knowledgeable of all the Holy Scriptures, the church rites, hymns of all

occasions throughout the Coptic year.• He has to know all the duties of the other degrees of deacon so as to direct them.• He has to be of good testimony from all the church members and is nominated by

the clergy and the church congregation.

1 See Apostolic Constitutions 2.44, 3.19.

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DUTIes

• He is the head of all the degrees of the deacons and he identifies their duties.• He has to be the eye and the hand of the bishop as he continues to do all the duties

of the full deacon.• He presents those chosen to other degrees of the deacons.

RITes oF oRDInaTIon

When the bishop ordains the archdeacon, he prays without laying his hand on him or breathing at his face. Originally, the bishop gave him a staff because he oversees the dea-cons.

Historically, there were only three ranks of priesthood that couldcarry the staff; the bishop who oversees all the priestly rinks, the hegomen who oversees the priests and the archdeacon who oversees the deacons.

DeaConess

The Church allows women to be deaconesses and from these Phoebe the deaconess (servant) of Cenchrea as in (Rom. 16:1-2). We also know of Tekla, who was a disciple of St. Paul and served in Iconia, commemorated in our Synaxarion on the 23rd of Tout.

The deaconess is NOT a degree of priesthood but she is appointed by the bishop by a special prayer after the prayer of reconciliation without laying of the hands. Deaconesses were appointed to serve in the Church till the 13th century and stopped until Pope She-nouda III appointed a good number of them in 1981.

In the Apostolic Laws (59) St. Clement says, “A deaconess should not bless or perform any duty of the priesthood but she keeps the doors and serves in the baptism room for the ladies.” So she can serve in:

• Helping in the baptism of adult ladies.• Keeping the orderamong ladies during the Eucharist and communion.• Teaching in Sunday school and visitation to children, young women or even

among adult women.• All social services in the church like among the widows and needy, and in nurser-

ies, orphanages, senior citizen homes, clinics or hospitals owned by the church or homes for strangers from young women.

THE PRIESTThere are three degrees of the priest: (1) Presbyter (priest), (2) Hegomen, and (3)

Khori-episcopos.

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The PResBYTeR

The word “kess” comes from the Syrian khashesho meaning elder, and in Coptic it is (refsemsi). It is mentioned in Acts 14:23, “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed,” and in Acts 20:17, “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.” Also in Titus 1:5 and James 5:14-15.

ReqUIRemenTs

• He should be not less than 30 years old like our Lord Jesus Christ when He started his ministry (Lk. 3:23).

• The conditions for the bishop mentioned in 1 Tim 3:2-6 are required also for the priest.

• He also has to be nominated by the congregation and have a good reputation.

DUTIes

• He has to perform all the church sacraments except the ordination which is per-formed only by the bishop.

• He has to perform all the liturgies and the prayers of the church offices including the prayer for the dead.

• He is responsible of teaching and preaching to the people. “For the priests’ lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts” (Mal 2:7). He also to be an example to them in all virtues.

• He is a father to the congregation so he has to visit them with love and compassion and serve them in humbleness like our Lord Jesus Christ who washed the feet of his disciples.

• At the same time he has to rebuke those who violate the Church teachings as St. Paul said, “Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim 4:2).

RITe oF oRDInaTIon

• If he was not ordained a full deacon, he has to be ordained in this degree first.• He is ordained after the Prayer of Reconciliation.• He recites Vow of the New Priest, word by word after a bishop or a priest.• He stands before the sanctuary, dressed in the deacon’s black garment, bowing his

head in front of the bishop.• The bishop prays the Prayer of Thanksgiving, raises the incense and prays the

prayer of the Ordination with the laying of the hands and calling him the new name of the priesthood (the archdeacon is the one who declares his name).

• The bishop signs the vestments of the priest with the cross three times and puts

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them on him by himself.• The bishop reads the priest the commandments for the new priest.• The new priest enters the sanctuary, knees in front of the altar, kisses it and the

hand of the bishop then he shares in the prayer of the liturgy.• The priests repeats after the bishop the words of the confession word by word and

then takes the communion.• After communion, that bishop breathes in the mouth of the new priest saying,

“Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn. 20:22) and he replies “I opened my mouth and accept unto me a spirit” (Psa. 119:131).

• At the end of the Liturgy, the bishop blesses the outer garment of the priest (fara-gia) and the turban (aema) and puts them upon him.

• There is a procession for the new priest. The deacons go in front of him while he is carrying the cross (for his service), the gospel (symbol of his teaching) and a candle (because he has to be a light in front of his people).

• The priest spends 40 days fasting in a monastery to learn and receive all the rites of the liturgy.

• At the end of the 40 days, the congregation and other priests receive him in his church at the time of vespers with joyful “rite of receiving the new priest.”

HeGomen:

Hegomen or in Greek is (hygomenoc) means “director” or “leader.” He is the proto-priest, or the chief priest, in the church and the priests who serve with him have to con-sider him as the ruler of the church and submit to him. “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor especially those who believe in the word and doctrine” (1 Tim 5:17).

RITe oF oRDInaTIon

The degree of hegomen is just a promotion from the degree of priest and is not consid-ered as a new ordination:

• It is performed after the prayer of reconciliation.• The priest is dressed in the vestments of service (tunic and a amice).• The bishop prays the prayer of ordination crossing his forehead by his thumb ask-

ing God to “Uphold him with His generous (directing) spirit” (Ps 51:12) to direct the priests and rule the church and in the same time asks for him the love, meek-ness, endurance, and goodness.

• The bishop reads for him the Commandments of the hegomen, then they complete the liturgy and take communion.

• The hegomen should fasts one week for this rank (2 Tim 2:6).

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KhoRI-ePIsCoPos (,wri-epickopoc)

It is a Greek word meaning “the village-bishop.” He assists the bishop or metropolitan of the main city. This degree started in the third century in Asia Minor. Among these assembled at the Council of Nicaea council were 15 khori-episcopos. The rank remained in the Eastern churches until the ninth century. H.H. Pope Shenouda III ordained some khori-episcopos to assist some of the bishops. Pope Shenouda III ordained them after the prayer of reconciliation.

Before the Nicene Council khori-episcopos were married but after that, the council restricted it to the monks. Now the khori-episcopos carry the title of the bishop (Abba), dressed similar to him with little difference, can ordain deacons, by permission from the bishop and is considered a member among the Holy Synod.

BISHOPThe Order of Bishop includes (1) Bishop (epickopoc), (2) Metropolitan (mytropoli-

tyc), (3) Patriarch (Pope) (patriar,yc)

The order of the bishop is the highest degree of priesthood. Bishop or (epickopoc) means “overseer.” As mentioned in 1 Timothy 3:17, the bishop should be blameless, and nominated from the priests and congregation of his city. While St. Paul also notes he should be the husband of one wife, the Council of Nicaea required that he be taken from the monks.

In addition to all the sacraments and duties of the priest, the bishop has the right of ordination for all orders and degrees of the priesthood (cf. Titus 1:5, 1 Tim. 5:22). The canons of the Church specifies that a priest can be ordained by one bishop but the bishop must be ordained at least by two or three bishops (including the pope). The bishop has the authority to judge the priest (1 Tim. 5:19), or reward a priest (cf. 1 Tim 5:17).

RITe oF ORDInaTIon

It starts at the night before Sunday of Ordination during vespers:

• The pope asks the congregation who nominated him, about their acceptance, after the nominee goes around the church.

• The nominee says the “Vow of the New Bishop” after one of the Metropolitans, repeating phrase by phrase.

• The pope does the sign of the cross on the cape of the bishop and called him by the new name as a bishop. Then the pope gives the sermon and they all complete the vespers.

On the Sunday of Ordination:

• The pope and the bishops dressed in their vestments of service are received in a procession to the cathedral and among them the new bishop elect in his black dress.

• Ordination is performed after the Praxis and Synaxarion; the bishop elect stands in

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front of the sanctuary bowing his head and all the Bishops around him.• The pope starts by the Prayer of Thanksgiving and raises the incense.• When the archdeacon says, “O bishop raise up your hands…” they all lay their

hands on the shoulders and arms of the new bishop.• The pope prays the prayer of ordination while he lays his head on the head of the

new bishop.• The prayers will include the name of the bishop in this city he will be ordained

upon, also that God gives him the Holy Spirit to forgive sins, to ordained priests, to build churches, to consecrate altars and to grant him the gift of healing and teaching.

• After the prayers the pope reads “the commandment of the new bishop” then he dresses him with the vestments of service.

• After communion, the Pope gives him the breath of the Holy Spirit three times.• The deacons take the bishop in a joyful procession around the church.• After he takes off the vestment of service, the pope puts upon him the outer dress-

ing and the cap (turban) and gives him the staff and the cross.• The new bishop celebrates for his ordination by praying three liturgies of Eucha-

rist.• He fasts the whole first year.• The new bishop stays with the pope for some time before he goes into his city.• He is received in his city by a special rite (enthronement of the bishop) where are

some of the Metropolitans and the bishops accompany him and give him the “Tra-dition of the new bishop.” This is signed by the pope and the bishops and includes:• The authority of the bishop is ordaining the degrees of the priesthood and rul-

ing all the church affairs.• Duties of the bishop and his responsibilities towards his congregation.• The duties of the people towards their Bishop, obeying him in love and honor.

MeTRoPolITan

Metropolitan or in Greek is (mytropolityc) comes from the word (mytropolic) meaning the big or mother city. So, metropolitan is the bishop of the big city, or “metro-politan” area. Metropolitan is an elevation from the rank of bishop, but is not an ordina-tion. The pope is the one who gives this degree on a Sunday in the Liturgy of the Eucharist after the Praxis and then signs the metropolitan by the three signs of the cross.

PaTRIaRCh

Patriarch (in Greek, patriar,yc) comes from patria which means tribe and archis or the head i.e. He is the head of the tribe. Pope or baba comes from pap`ac, i.e. the father, which means father of fathers. The title “pope” was first used to refer to the bishop of Alexandria, before Rome. The first bishop to take this title was Pope Heraclas, the 13th patriarch. The patriarch is the highest degree of the order of bishops and head of all the priesthood in the church and is the successor of St. Mark the Evangelist.

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oRDInaTIon

After the legal process of election and the altar lot, he has to be ordained on a Sunday in the main cathedral. The ordination of the pope is considered an ordination and enthrone-ment at the same time.

THE PRIESTHOOD VESTMENTSGod has ordered Moses to make special garments for Aaron, his brother, the Levites,

and the priests to use at the time of service, “And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty … Aaron’s garments, to sanctify him, that he may minister to me as a priest. (Ex. 28:2,3). God has specified their types and colors.

When Jesus Christ came, he had not canceled Moses’ laws but said, “I did not came to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). So, the Lord had no objection to the priests having special garments for service. Our Lord Jesus Christ has not destroyed the old command-ments. Therefore, all the Apostolic Churches, past and present, have collectively agreed to dedicate special garments for clergymen to wear at the time of the Divine Service.

ChaRaCTeRIsTICs oF VesTmenTs

The Church has chosen the white color for the Service Vestments, for the following rea-sons. For God, ‘Who covers himself with light as a garment” (Psa. 104:2) often appeared in the Old Testament with a garment that was white (Dan. 7:9). In the New Testament, in the Transfiguration, His garments became as “white as the light” (Matt. 17:2, Mk. 9:3). The an-gels in the Resurrection were also dressed in white (Jn. 20:12), as well as the 24 presbyters in Rev. 4:4. Several other references of white garments are found in the New Testament (cf. Rev. 3:5, 19:8; Col. 3:12-14).

On each piece of garment, the shape of the Cross should be drawn, to indicate that our salvation was through the Cross (Col. 1:20), with the inscription ‘Jesus Christ, the Son of God’ Who reconciled us with God through the Cross (Eph. 2:16). The priest bears the cross on the front and back, always remembering the Passion of Christ. On the front, he can thoroughly observe Christ’s traces and works hard to follow His example to gain them, and to remember his own sins and weep for them. On the back, he bears the cross, so that he can patiently bear all the insults from other people, and also to weep for other people’s sins, since he is the mediator between God and the sinner. He would thus constantly pray and offer oblations for the sinner’s sake.

The garments are made of cotton or linen, but not of animals’ wool, since God clothed Adam with skin tunics after Adam had fallen and been expelled from Paradise.

The TYPes oF VesTmenTs

1. The TUnIC

]`s;yn `nouwbs in Coptic, meaning “the white robe.” In Greek, it is Στηχαριον, mean-ing “walk in order”. In Arabic “toniah”, means “robe,” and refers to Christ’s “robe” upon which the soldiers had cast lots (Matt. 27:25). It also refers to the illuminate garment of glory with which God is clothed (Rev.1:13). Therefore, the deacon, presbyter and bishop

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recite the following when they put on the tunic: “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with maj-esty; the Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength” (Psa. 92:1).

2. sTole

The diaconal stole (“Badrashil)” is in Coptic ourarion. Both in Coptic and Greek, this means, “That which is worn on the shoulder.” It is a sign of service and obedience. It is a strip of colored embroidered cloth. The deacon and the archdeacon wear it on the left shoulder, lowered under the right elbow, with both ends hanging, one from the front side and the other from the backside. Minor orders, specifically the sub deacon and the reader, wear it in the form of a cross on the back, in reference to “bearing the Cross of the Lord” (Matt. 15:24). On the front side, it is wrapped like a belt or girdle, to indicate self disci-pline and control, in preparation for the service.

The presbyterial or episcopal stole. “Sadrah” in Arabic; epitra,ylion in Greek. This is like the breastplate worn by Aaron, according to God’s command (Ex. 28). It is basically the diaconal stole that is wrapped around the neck instead of on one side of the shoulder, with both ends hanging on the front side. Both ends were later connected from under-neath the neck till the bottom, forming one strip in the front, with a visible connection.

The stole of the bishop, metropolitan and patriarch contain embroidered pictures of the twelve apostles, similar to Aaron’s breastplate which bore the names of the twelve sons of Israel (Ex. 28:13), since the Church is built on the foundation of the apostles (Eph. 2:2), and as their names were written on the foundation of the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:24)

3. The CUFFs

In Coptic they are called kamacion. Their use dates back to the time of the apostles. It is said that they were originally two handkerchiefs put on the arms, so that the Presbyter can use them to wipe his tears when they pour down during his humble prayers of the Liturgy. They are used by the Greeks until today, as they are two pieces of cloth fixed at the elbow, or half way between the elbow and the wrist. In the Coptic Church, the cuffs are part of the priest’s vestments, they are used by the presbyter, the bishop, and the patriarch; yet, unfortunately, they are seldom used today (they are worn only on very special occasions).

4. The GIRDle (PRIesTlY anD ePIsCoPal)

zonarion in Coptic; Zennar in Syriac; and El Mintaqa or El Hessaya in Arabic. It is a wide belt made of linen or silk, embroidered with gold or silver threads and crosses, and sometimes ornamented with precious stones; both ends are buckled with a hook on the front. It is worn by the chief priest on his chest, or to tighten, on his waist, as St. John the Apostle had seen the Lord, “Clothed with a garment down to the feet and girdled about the chest with a golden band” (Rev. 1:13). A similar girdle was worn by the high priest when offering the sacrifice (Ex. 28:4).

5. The amICe

In Arabic “Shamlah” or “Taylassan;” In Coptic epomioc/pievout. It is the head cover of the priest. It is a wide rectangular piece of cloth on which crosses are drawn, one on the front side, and the other on the back side. In the past, it was folded around the head like a turban, then lowered from the back side down to the heels, yet the shape has changed to a round shape, that looks more like a crown, and it is called “Taylassan”.

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The amice reminds us of the turban that was worn by the high priest in the past, at the time of the service (Ex. 28:4), and refers to “the robe of righteousness with which God has covered us and filled our hearts with joy” (Psa. 45: 13,14;Isa. 61:10). Wearing it on the head reminds us of spiritual alertness and the concentration of the mind during the service (1 Thess. 5:8; Eph. 6:17)

6. The BallIn (ePIsCoPal)

In Coptic, pallin and in Greek, Omoforion. (what is worn on the shoulder). This is used only by the high priest; it covers his head and each end is wrapped under each elbow, then turned around the other shoulder, so that both ends are lowered under the girdle, thus forming the shape of the cross, both in front and in the back.

7. The CoPe oR RoBe

In Arabic, “Bornos” or “Gebbah”; in Coptic vilonion; it is a round, sleeveless, loose robe. It was commended by God to Moses for Aaron (Ex. 28). It is also the robe of the prophets, such as the robe of Ahijah the Shilonite, the Prophet (1 Kgs. 11: 29), and Elijah’s robe (2 Kgs. 2:13)

8. The shIelD

It is called in Coptic and Greek epigonation and it represents the sword that the bishop wears symbolically as a representation of protection of his flock. The bishop says, “Gird your sword upon your thigh, O Mighty One, in your comeliness and your beauty, and proceed prosperously, and be king because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and your right hand shall guide you wondrously, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.”

9. The CRoWn

It is called in Coptic pikam and it is used by the high priest. It is made of silk and gold thread, or made of gold, on which the picture of Christ crucified is engraved. This is sim-ilar to the turban used by Aaron “a gold crown plate with the inscription ‘Holiness to the Lord’” (Exo. 39:30,31). It is worn by the Patriarch and the Bishops, following the example of the heavenly ‘twenty-four Priests, who had twenty-four crowns of gold on their heads’ (Rev. 4:4).

10. The sTaFF (CRosIeR)

The pastoral staff is one of the accessories used by the patriarch and the bishop. Both use it at times other than that of service. It refers to the shepherd’s staff that was received from the great Shepherd of shepherds, that urges him to take extreme care of his flock, so that it is not eaten by the enemy. It also indicates authority, “The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion” The bishop does not carry the staff in the presence of the patriarch nor in a parish other than his own. During the Divine Service, the staff is replaced by a beautifully ornamented stick, with one or two serpents made of silver or brass. This is referred to the “Al Hayya” in Arabic or piesvot Coptic.

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NOTES

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FASTS AND FEASTS

fasTing is absTaining from eating food for a certain period of time during the day, at the end of which, the person has a light meal free from fat

or animal products (Ezek 4:9). Fasting is one of the cornerstones of worship and is mentioned by Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6) as He also fasted forty days and forty nights. It is also a spiritual exercise which is accompanied by praying, our Lord said this about His disciples “But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them and then they will fast” (Matt. 9:15). By fasting we conquer the devil, “However this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matt 17:21). The apostles themselves observed the fasting.

There are two types of fasting: Individual fasting which is observed by a person for a special need, God’s mercy or to be relieved of certain troubles; and general fasting which is ordered by God, and arranged by the church. The general fasts include:

1. The GReaT anD HolY FasT (GReaT LenT)

Our church has observed fasting as decided by the apostles themselves. This is the most important fasting because our Lord Jesus Christ fasted it and we follow His steps. This fasting is 55 days as follows: 40 days the holy forty and 8 days the passion week and the 7 days of the first week. Previously, the 40 days fast was directly after the Epiphany because Christ fasted directly after His baptism. Since the days of Abba Demetrius this Fast is joined to the Holy Pascha week. This holy fasting has a special importance, there are no weddings performed and people should fast daily until the end of daytime or after the end of the Holy Liturgy. This holy fasting has special readings in the lectionary.

2. The FasT oF The NInevITes (Jonah’s FasT).

This fasting lasts for three days. This fasting was observed by the Syrian church for a long time before our church started it at the time of Abba Abraam (the 62nd Pope). It was ordered by our church to keep the ties of love with the Syrian church. We fast as the people of Nineveh when they fasted in humility asking for forgive-ness. They were forgiven and received God’s mercy (Jn. 3:15,16). The three days re-fer to the three days of fasting by the Ninevites and the three days that Jonah spent in the great fish. It is also a symbol of Christ staying three days in the tomb. It is fasted in the same way as the Great and Holy Fast. This was done by the Church to prepare her children for the Great Fast because it comes two weeks before.

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3. FasTInG on WeDnesDaYs anD FRIDaYs

This fast has been observed by our church since the Apostolic age. On Wednesday the Jews conspired to kill Jesus Christ “After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death” (Mk. 14:1). On Friday our Lord Jesus Christ was cruci-fied. Before Christ, the Jews used to fast on the Atonement Day (Lev 16:29). This fasting is the oldest fasting and it was observed by the Apostles themselves and it was mentioned in the Church Canons and in sayings of the Fathers of the Church. Fasting on these two days is observed all year round except in the Holy Fifty days after the Feast of Resurrection and when the Nativity or Epiphany feast falls on one of these days.

4. The NaTIvITY FasT

This fasting was arranged by the Church in preparation for the Nativity Feast for cen-turies. We observe it in remembrance of God’s mercy Who saved us. We observe it out of love for Jesus Christ who was born for us and our readiness to obey Him. Its duration is 43 days; 42 days in a Leap Year. This fast starts on Hatour 16 and ends on the night before Nativity feast on 29 Kiyahk.

5. The APosTles’ FasT

The Apostles fasted after our Lord’s ascension, just as when He was asked why His disci-ples did not fast, He replied “when the Bridegroom is taken away from them they will fast” (Matt. 9:15). It is mentioned in the apostolic teachings that we should fast after the Pente-cost feast because we should rejoice at the gifts given to us. The duration of this fast is not fixed. It begins on the Feast of Pentecost until the Epip 5 (July 12) the commemoration of the martyrdom of St. Peter and St Paul. The shortest period is 15 days and the longest is 48 days.

6. The FasT oF The AssUmPTIon oF The HolY VIRGIn MaRY

Christians have great respect for this fasting and observe it with enthusiasm and it was mentioned by Ibn El-Assal among the fasts of the church. Its duration is 15 days and it starts on the 1st of Misra and ends on the 16th of Misra which is the day of the assump-tion of her body. This fasting has a special importance to the virgins, in likeness of Holy Virgin Mary.

7. The PaRamoUnI

Paramouni is a Greek word which means the extraordinary. This is a preparatory fasting is of the same degree as the Great Fast. It is one of the most ancient fasts, and lasts from one to three days. If the feast falls on a Sunday or Monday, the paramouni will be Saturday or Sunday. Because we do not fully abstain during these two days, the paramouni starts Friday and continues through Saturday or is Saturday and Sunday. The readings of para-mouni replaces the reading of Sunday.

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Some RITUal PoInTs

There is no fasting on Wednesday or Friday if it comes on Koiahk 29 in a leap year

If the 30th of Athor is a Sunday (i.e the fifth Sunday), we use the church readings of the first Sunday of Koiahk instead of the Sunday reading. There will only be three Sundays in the month of Koiahk (because paramouni will fall on the last Sunday). The readings of the first Sunday of Koiahk are used instead of the fifth Sunday of Athor.

The tone of prayers in the church on the 29th of the Coptic month are joyful tones be-cause the angel appears to Virgin Mary to give her the good tidings on the Annunciation of Baramhat 29. The Nativity Feast is on Koiahk 29. Originally, the Resurrection feast was Baramhat 29. This day is celebrated throughout the year except in Tobi and Mechir. As for fasting, this day (the 29th) is considered as the minor Lord’s feasts, without full absti-nence.

FEASTSFeasts are holy or sacred convocations held on different days of the year. In the Old

Testament, God gave feast days for His people. On those occasions they practiced their re-ligious rites and devoted their time to good deeds. These occasions included weekly feasts such as the Sabbath (Gen. 2:2,Ex. 20:8), monthly feasts (Num. 10:10, and yearly feasts such as Passover (Ex. 12:11, 14); Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:4-6); FIrst Fruits (Ex. 23:16; Lev 23:9-14); the weeks of Pentecost (Lev. 23:16), and others.

God ordered them to celebrate those days and to observe them, otherwise they should be punished. Those days were shadows of the feasts in the New Testament, and they were symbols of the gifts that Jesus Christ gave us by His salvation. God considered those feasts and celebrated Passover Feast (Jn. 2:13, 5:11; Matt. 26:19; Mk. 14:14; Lk. 2:41).

There are two types of feasts: the Lord’s Feasts (Dominical Feasts), that are related to our Lord Jesus Christ; and other feasts related to our Holy Virgin Mary, the angels, the apos-tles, the martyrs and the saints. The Dominical Feasts are Major and Minor.

MajoR FeasTs

• Annunciation – 29 Baramhat (which always falls during the Great Fast).• Holy Nativity – birth of the Savior – 29 Koiahk (28th on a leap year).• Epiphany – 11 Tobi, the Baptism of our Lord.• Palm Sunday: 7th Sunday of the Great Fast.• Feast of Resurrection: This is considered the feast of feasts when Jesus Christ over-

came death (Acts 2:24; 1 Cor 15:56). It was called the Passover Feast (I Cor 5:7). This feast always falls on a Sunday and it must not be on the same day as the Jew-ish Passover or before it, but it must follow it and after the day and night are equal in length. (Equinox) Since then Sundays have become weekly feasts in remem-brance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the eve of the feast, there is always a Holy Liturgy that ends after midnight because Christ rose while it was still dark (John 20:1). The Church of Alexandria was responsible for deciding the day of the feast according to the Council of Nicaea. It was always decided after the Epiphany

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and sent to the other churches.• Ascension – 40th day of Resurrection, on Thursday of the 6th week of Pentecost

(Lk. 24:50-52; Acts 1:9-11)• Pentecost – fifty days after Resurrection. This is in remembrance of the invocation

of the Holy Spirit on the disciples as tongues of fire and the birth of the church (Acts 2:1, 20:16; I Cor 16:8). This falls into the feast of weeks to the Jews on the seventh week after the Passover (Ex. 23:16; Lev. 23:25. This feast is always celebrat-ed 10 days after the ascension of Jesus Christ.

MInoR FeasTs

• Circumcision – 6th of Tobi• Presentation of the Lord Jesus to the Temple – 8 Mechir• Our Lord’s Entry into Egypt – 24 Pachons• The Wedding of Cana of Galilee – 13 Tobi• Transfiguration – 13 Mesoru• Great and Holy Thursday• Thomas Sunday – 8th next Sunday after the Resurrection

OTheR FeasTs

The other feasts include the Feast of New Year, the Cross, the Virgin Mary, the angels and the saints. Nayrouz is the beginning of the Coptic Year on the 1st of Thout. This is the blessing of the first of the year. It is celebrated as a feast to start a new year with piety and chastity. The hymns are joyful and they continue until the feast of the cross.

• The Feast of the Cross is on the 17th of Thout and is celebrated 3 days, there is a procession of the Cross in Matins and the first day also on the 10th of Baramhat which always comes in the Great Lent. These feasts are celebrated in joyful tone.

• Feasts of the Holy Virgin Mary• 1st of Pachons; Her birth• 3rd of Koiahk; Her presentation in the Temple• 21st of Tobi; Feast day of her departure• 21st of Paoni; Building the first church on her name in Philippi• 16th of Misra; Her Assumption• 6th of Athor; Consecration of her church in Moharrak Monastery• 8th of Paoni; Consecration of her church of “Mehama” Mostorod• 24th of Bramhat: Her apparition in her church in Zytoon in Cairo (April2,

1968)• On the 21st of every Coptic month there is a commemoration for the Holy

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Virgin Mary• Archangel Michael

• Feasts are celebrated on the 12th of Athor and the 12th of Paoni and we also remember him on the 12th of every Coptic month. The angels are spirits and they serve those who will inherit salvation, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14). Arch-angel Michael fought against Satan, “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.” (Rev 12:7-9) and he is one of the archangels who gives us support.

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