The Coptic Church Tradition And Worship
A Worshipping Church
The Coptic Church is
known as being a worship-loving church. Her worship is rather incessant, her
liturgies are rich with theology and rites, so profound and delightful. A child
can participate with a cheerful heart. Her feasts are continuous every-day
besides Sundays, the weekly feasts, the monthly and the yearly feasts. Its
songs are diversified and enjoyable. With her calm, meek and effective spirit
she is capable of reaching deep into the soul and she shakes the heart and
emotions in credit of the Kingdom of God. Her joy is mixed with asceticism and
her fasting exceeds half of the year.
Worship in the church
represents a living part of the ecclesiastical life which reacts together with
the enjoyment of the Holy Bible, doctrine faith, ascetic life and her sacred
outlook to man and his entity. All that collaborates to lead to "life in
Christ".
This devotional life is
not exclusive for the priests and monks, but it is for every member of the
church. Everybody participates in worship and performs through organized church
services without confusion. They worship collectively not individually, in spirituality
and gentleness and not in the rigid deadly letter. The spirit of public worship
can be practiced by the believer even in his bedroom, because he practices his
personal worship as a member of the community, who thanks, praises, and asks in
the name of the whole, as all are in the depth of his heart.
The Holy Bible And
Church Worship
The Holy Bible and The
Alexandrine Church
Since her inception,
especially starting from the second century, the Alexandrine Church has been
known for her School which concentrated on the study of the Holy Bible and was
interested in its allegorical interpretation. This method of interpretation was
received by Origen from his teacher, St. Clement, and from his predecessors.
Origen had put its principals and bases and explored its aim, to the extent
that the allegorical interpretation of the Bible all over the world is owed to
him. Origen exaggerated in using this method but he had left many disciples,
directly or through his writings, among church leaders, and his influence
remained clear even over his opponents.
I do not intend here to
enumerate Oirgen's fault's because they have been
exposed before, but I wish to elucidate the role of the Holy Bible in the
Alexandrine Church and her School, particularly as related to church worship.
1. The School of Alexandria paid attention to science and philosophy,
and therefore did not show any hostility towards philosophers, on the contrary,
for some of the churchmen were students in the philosophical School "the
Museum" and they attracted many of its leaders--the philosophers--to
Christianity. Yet at the same time the School of Alexandria did not look to the
Holy bible with a philosophical view for mere satisfaction of the mind, or for
the sake of arguments and debates. She looked at the Bible as the experience of
meeting with the Word of God and a true enjoyment of the Holy Trinity's work in
the life of the community and in the life of each member therein. According to
the Alexandrine thought the soul enters - through the spirit of prayer and piety
- into the presence of God that He might raise her above the deadly literal
meaning, ascends her to His heavenly chamber, and reveals to her His divine
mysteries which cannot be expressed in human language. Thus the Holy bible in
its essence is a discovery of the incarnate Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who is hidden behind its words, who leads us to experience the communion with
the Father through Him, by the Holy Spirit. In other words, studying and
meditating on the Holy Bible is a spiritual worship and an enjoyment with the
Holy Trinity, as we experience our sonship to the
Father and His Fatherhood to us, our steadfastness in the Only Begotten Son and
the attainment of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
2. The Holy bible is considered as an encounter with God and an
interaction with Him in a spirit of worship and piety, so worship, common or
private, is an expression of the flowing love from hearts which have
encountered God and yearned to enter into new depth in order to stay with Him,
in His bosom, forever enjoying His mysteries and glories. In other words,
worship is also an enjoyment of the evangelic life, understanding the Holy
bible and a discovery of the words' secrets.
Here we acknowledge church life which is inflamed with love, as one integral
life, containing on one hand the spirit of studying the Holy Bible. Worship is
a practical entrance to the Gospel, and the study of the Bible is a true
experience of worshipping. Every worship outside the Bible is fruitless, and
every Bible study without the spirit of worship distorts the soul.
Therefore, it is needless to say that church worship - common and private - is
correlated to the Bible, not only because it includes excerpts from the
scriptures, but also because it carries the spirit of the Bible, every breath
of love to God through our worship. Worship is inspired by the spirit of the
Bible and at the same time the Bible reveals the spirit of worship and the
depth of its mysteries on a heavenly level.
3. All church liturgies, common, family, and private worship include
readings from the Old and New Testaments, particularly from the Book of Psalms,
the Epistles of St. Paul, the Catholic Epistles, and from the four Gospels.
Such readings are included in the liturgy of catechumens, the liturgy of
blessing the water, the celebration of Holy matrimony, blessing the baptismal
water, funeral services, for blessing new homes as well as at the daily
Canonical Hour. Thus the church offers thanksgiving to her God in every
occasion in a spirit of worship through reciting verses of the Holy Bible, and
at the same time she urges her children to sit with God's word, enjoy and
meditate on it.
4. Church life is not only a life of worship in an evangelic way or a
biblical life in a spirit of worship, but it is one, inclusive and integral
life, which includes the practical daily life with good behavior, the ascetic
practice and the desire of the heart to witnessing and preaching. In other
words, our Bible study is worship, practical behavior, asceticism and
preaching. Truly some members may be gifted in depth with certain talents. For
example, some my be involved in studying the Bible,
others in practicing asceticism, and others in preaching etc… Yet all members
have to live in the one whole spirit in order not to deviate from the aim of
the bible and the spirit of the church.
5. Moreover, the Alexandrine Church recognized that the mystery of
the Scriptures is uncovered through three essential and related matters:
1. Study and research: Origen collected the texts and translations of
the Bible and arranged them in six columns (Hexapala).
If a verse is obscure, the scholar may refer to other texts to elucidate it.
Thus Origen from the second century - was ahead of his time.
2. Prayers and pious life: The Alexandrine students were men of
prayer and asceticism. They believed in the need of the Divine Revelation to
the soul through purity in Christ to understand the Bible.
3. Discipleship: The scholar cannot fully enjoy the biblical spirit through
his own individual private studies. In order to deviate, he needs to be
disciple of a spiritual father to attain the delivered biblical though, besides
the need of being disciple of the Early Fathers through their writings.
The Liturgical Worship
In The Coptic Church
The Word
"Liturgy"
The word
"Liturgy" in classic Greek means "a public service undertaken on
behalf of the people" it comes from:
1. "Liaw," meaning "People."
2. "Ergia," meaning "work."
In the Epistle to the
Hebrews, this word means "the service of the altar," or "the
priestly service" Heb. 8:6; 9:21.
The church used this
term since the apostolic age, to cover all that worship which is officially
organized by her, and which is offered by all her members, or on their behalf.
In the course of time, this term has come to be particularly applied to the
performance of the service of Eucharist, although there are other liturgies as
the liturgy of Baptism, liturgy of marriage etc.
Liturgical Worship And
The Liturgical Life
Liturgy does not mean
some hours spent by believers - clergymen and laity - in participating in the
Eucharistic liturgy, performing on vesper or matin or
baptism or marriage celebrations etc., but it is in its essence the true
communion with Christ. This liturgical life is not lived only when a believer
participates in common worship whatever it is, but it dwells within his heart
even when he is alone in his room. In other words "liturgy" is a life
which the church practices, through which she acknowledges her nature, realizes
her message and attains her own existence which is life and growth in Jesus
Christ.
In fact, we use the word
"liturgy" for common worship, because the believer participates in
this worship with the members of the community. This membership is alive and
active and it represents a part of his entity. He is a member even when he is
alone speaking with God in his own room. The holy community is in the heart of
the real believer, and the believer is within the heart of the church
community. In other words, when a believer prays in his room, he realizes that
all the church is within his heart, praying in her name, calling God: "Our
Father" and not my Father who art in heaven." At the same time, when
the community prays it endows its members, present and absent with love.
The Characteristics Of
The Coptic Liturgies
1. The Coptic liturgies
are known to be not monopolized by clergymen. They are the liturgies of all the
church, laymen and clergymen. The people participate in the hymns, and prayers.
Therefore clergymen should pray in the language of the people, clearly and with
a pleasant tone, as the people take their turn in participating. Here the
"people" means all the congregation: men, women and children. The
Coptic Church does not exclude children during the liturgy, and this is one of
the resources of our church in Egypt, for even the child feels his positive
membership and acknowledges his right in participating in church liturgies. The
beautiful rites and heavenly hymns encourage children in worship without
feeling bored, In spite of the lengthy services.
2. The Coptic liturgies
not only emphasize church unity, clergy and laity, young and old, men and
women, but also aim at revealing that the heavenly life is near and realizable
to us! All the Coptic liturgies have eschatological (heavenly) attitude. In the
liturgies the church participates in the hymns of the heavenly creatures, its
thoughts are attracted to acknowledge the hidden mysteries of heaven. For
example, the liturgy of marriage attracts our thoughts to the heavenly marriage
of our souls to Christ, and also to the crowns of the saints.
3. The Coptic liturgies
are correlated to the church dogmas and doctrines. Liturgies' rites and texts
instruct even children in simple ways about Church faith, her concepts and
dogmas concerning:
God; our relation with
Him; our relation with the heavenly hosts and saints; our view of sanctity, of
the world and our bodies, our struggles against the devil and his agent etc.
Liturgies represent a school to the people, opening its doors to the children
through its simplicity, and to the theologians through its depth.
Coptic liturgies clarify
church dogmas without the need of any theological discussions, and at the same
time gives genuine theological concepts that believers experience during their
worship.
4. Coptic liturgies are
correlated to the ascetic church life. Asceticism has its effect on our
liturgies, as it appears in the long duration of the services and practicing
kneeling during the services. Liturgies soothe and delight the ascetic person.
For example, in the service of the Holy Week and Good Friday, although the
believers fast for long periods and abstain from many kinds of food, they feel
true consolation, which they rarely attain in other occasions during the year.
The daily Eucharistic liturgies in Lent season grant the believers spiritual
delight of particular character.
5. Coptic liturgies are
biblical. Every liturgy declares the word of God and the experience of the
evangelic life. They include readings from the Holy Bible, the Old and New
Testaments, especially the book of Psalms, Epistles of St. Paul, the Catholic
Epistles, and the Gospels. They also present prayers and hymns quoted from the
Bible, carrying evangelic thoughts. Thus we can say that liturgies are totally
presented in the spirit of the Bible.
6. Coptic liturgies
touch the believers' daily life and also their family life, for they are the
"dynamic energy" which moves their lives. There is no separation
between common worship and actual life. In other words, believers practice the
common worship as a part of their lives as a whole.
To explain the
correlation between the liturgical life of common worship and the daily life
for Copts, we here give some examples:
a. The priest and the
laity acknowledge the liturgy of Eucharist as a meeting at the Cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and as an entrance to Golgotha, so that they all might sit
under the Cross' shadow (Cant. 2:3). The priest puts his hand on the
"Lamb" (Holy Bread) and prays for his family, his spiritual children
and for all the people. He prays for the repentance of those who stray away and for the solution to church problems and
family disputes, and for those who are in trouble that God may intervene
through His Divine grace. He also prays for those who are travelling, for the
sick and for those who departed in the Lord etc.
The Coptic people used
to ask the priest to remember them and their problems on the attar of the Lord
and they themselves participate with him in asking God. Thus, Copts find their
comfort in the liturgy -of the Eucharist, as they find the precious Blood of
Jesus Christ as the propitiation of their sins (I John 4: 10), and a source of
their inner peace.
b. Through the various
liturgies believers acknowledge the motherhood of the church and the fatherhood
of the priest as a figure and shadow of God's Fatherhood. Therefore, Copts flee
to the church as their own refuge in the important and trifle matters, in
sadness and in their happiness, because of their trust in her and their love
for her. For Example, when God grants a family a baby, the church prays a
special "liturgy" for washing the babe on the eighth day of his
birth. The priest, deacons, the family and their friends participate in giving
thanks and praise to God, asking Him to act in the baby that he might grow in
the &race of God as a saintly member of the
church. When a person succeeds in any work usually he asks for giving thanks to
God by praying a special doxology through or after the Eucharistic liturgy.
When a person falls ill he asks for praying the liturgy of the unction. When a
person dies the church prays the funeral service, on the third day prays a
common prayer at his house to declare God's consolation through the
resurrection of Christ on the third day, and in every memory the priest
mentions the name of the dead person in Eucharistic liturgy (the diptych).
Thus, the church does
not interfere in the lives of her children but through love, participates in
all their aftirs, that they might feel her motherhood
and her sharing in their feelings.
The Coptic Feasts
Feasts And Worship
Moses' Law arranged
seven major feasts (lev. 23), which had their rites
and sanctity, as a living part of the common worship. These feasts are: the
Sabbath or Saturday of every week, the first day of every month, the Seventh
Year, the Year of Jubilee, the Passover (Pasch), the feast of the weeks
(Pentecost), the feast of Tabernacles (feast of Harvest). After the Babylonian
exile two feasts were added, i.e., the feast of Purim and the Feast of
Dedication. The aim of these feasts was to revive the spirit of joy and
gladness in the believers' lives and to consecrate certain days for the common
worship in a holy convocation (assembly) (Exod 12:16;
Lev. 23); and to remember God's promises and actions with His people to renew
the covenant with Him on both common and personal levels. The feasts were a way
leading to enjoy Christ, the continuous "Feast" and the Source of
eternal joy.
When the Word of God was
incarnate and became man, He submitted to the Law and attended and celebrated
the feasts. However, He diverted the attention from the symbol to reality, and
from the outward appearances to the inner depths (John 2, 5, 6, 7, 12); to
grant the joy of the feast through practicing the secret communion with God and
receiving His redeeming deeds.
Almost all the days are
feasts to the Coptic Church. Although she is known for bearing the cross, she
is eager to have her children live, in the midst of sufferings in spiritual
gladness. She is capable, by the Lord's help, to raise them above tribulations.
In other words, the Coptic Church is continuously suffering and joyful at the
same time, her feasts are uninterrupted, and her hymns with a variety of
melodies are unceasing.
A Church Of Joy
One of the main
characteristics of the Coptic Church is "joy," even in her ascetic
life. St. John Cassian described the Egyptian monks
who spread from Alexandria to the southern borders of Thabied
(Aswan) saying that the voice of praise came out perpetually from the
monasteries and caves, as if the whole land of Egypt became a delightful
paradise. He called the Egyptian monks heavenly terrestrials or terrestrial
angles.
St. Jerome informs us
about an abbot called Apollo who was always smiling. He attracted many to the
ascetic life as a source of inward joy and heartfelt satisfaction in our Lord
Jesus. He often used to say: "Why do we struggle with an unpleasant face?!
Aren't we the heirs of the eternal life?! Leave the unpleasant and the grieved
faces to pagans, and weeping to the evil-doers. But it befits the righteous and
the saints to be joyful and pleasant since they enjoy the spiritual
gifts."
This attitude is
reflected upon church worship, her arts and all her aspects of life, so that it
seems that the church life is a continuous unceasing feast. Pope Athanasius the
Apostolic tells us in a paschal letter that "Christ" is our feast.
Although there are perpetual feasts the believer discovers that his feast is in
his innermost, i.e., in the dwelling of Christ the life-giving Lord in him.
The church relates and
joins the feasts to the ascetic life. The believers practice fasting, sometimes
for almost two months (Great Lent) in preparation for the feast, in order to
realize that their joy is based on their communion with God and not on the
matter of eating, drinking and new clothes.
The Coptic feasts have
deep and sweet hymns, and splendid rites that inflame the spirit. Their aim is
to offer the living heavenly and evangelic thought and to expose the Holy
Trinity and Their redeeming work in the life of the church, in a way that is
simple enough to be experienced by children, and: deep enough to quench the
thirst of theologians.
Feasts Of The Coptic
Church
1. The Seven Major
Feasts Of Our Lord
a. The Annunciation (Baramhat 29, c. April 7): In it we recall the fulfillment
of the Old Testament prophecies, and the attainment which the men of God had
longed for across the ages, namely the coming of the Word of God incarnated in
the Virgin's womb (Matt. 13:17).
b. The Nativity of
Christ (Christmas) on Kayhk 29, c. January 7: It is
preceded by a fast of 43 days. Its aim is to confirm the divine love, when God
sent His Only - begotten Son incarnate. Thus, He restored to humanity her
honor, and sanctified our daily life, offering His life as a Sacrifice on our
behalf
c. The Epiphany or the
Baptism of Christ on Tobah 11, c. January 19: It is
connected with Christmas and the circumcision feasts. For on Christmas, the
Word of God took what is ours (our humanity) and in the "circumcision"
He subjected Himself to the Law as He became one of us, but in the Epiphany He
offered us what is His own. By His incarnation He became a true man while He
still being the Only-begotten Son of God, and by baptism we became children of
God in Him while we are human being
In this feast, the
liturgy of blessing the water is conducted, and the priest blesses the people
by the water on their foreheads and hands to commemorate baptism
d. Palm Sunday: It is
the Sunday which precedes Easter. It has its characteristic joyful hymns (the
Shannon - Hosanna (Matt. 21:9), and its delightful rite. The church
commemorates the entrance of
our Lord Jesus into our
inward Jerusalem to establish His Kingdom in us and gather all in Him.
Therefore a delighful is procession or the redeemed
believers, starts -God's plan for Christ's self-oblation. The procession moves
towards the nave of the church were it stands before
the icons of St. Mary, the Archangels, St. John the Baptist, the Apostles, the marthe ascetics etc... and before the church doors and the
baptismal basin, praising God who embraces all together in His Son Jesus
Christ. The procession ends by re-entering the sanctuary, for the of God of the
Old and New testaments meet with the heavenly in heaven (sanctuary) forever.
The end of the liturgy
of Eucharist, a general funeral service is held over water, which is sprinkled
on behalf of anyone who may die during the Holy week, since the regular funeral
prayers are not conducted during this week. By this rite, the church stresses
on her pre-occupation with the passion and crucifixion of Christ only. She itrates on the marvelous events of this unique week with
its glorious readings and rites which concern our salvation.
e. Easter (The Christian
Pasch or Passover): It is preceded by Great Lent (55 days) and is considered by
the Coptic Church as the Feast." Its delight continues for fifty days
until the Pentecost. Easter is also essentially celebrated on every Sunday by
participating A sacrament of the Eucharist. For the church wishes that all
believers may enjoy the new risen life in Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:4).
f. Ascension: It is
celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter Is on a Thursday. In this feast we
recall Him who raises and lifts us up to sit with Him in heaven (Eph. 2:6).
g. Pentecost: It
represents the birthday of the Christian Church. Only-begotten Son paid the
price for her salvation, He ascended heaven to prepare a place for her. He sent
His Holy Spirit in her, offering her existence, guidance, sanctification and
adornment as the Heavenly Bride.
In this feast, the
church chants hymns, being joyful with the resurrection of Christ, His
ascension and the dwelling of His Holy Spirit in her, thus she connects the
three feasts in one whole unity.
On this day, the church
conducts three sets of prayers, called "Kneeling," during which
incense and prayers are offered on behalf of the sick, the travelers, the
winds, and it gives special attention to the dormant, as a sign of her enjoying
the communion and unity with Christ that challenges even death.
2. The Seven Minor
Feasts Of Our Lord
a. The Circumcision of
our Lord: It is celebrated on the eighth day after Christmas (Tobah 6, c. 14 January), by which we remember that the Word
of God who gave us the Law, He Himself was subjected to this Law, fulfilling
it, to grant us the power to fulfill the Law in a spiritual manner. Thus we
enjoy the circumcision of spirit and that of heart (Col. 2:11), instead of the
literal circumcision of the flesh.
b. The Entrance of our
Lord into the Temple (Amshir 8, c. February 15): We
remember that the Word of God became man and does not want us to be careless
about our lives, but to set our goals early since childhood. Thus we have to
work and fulfill our goals regardless of people related to us, in spite of our
love and obedience to them (Luke 2:24).
The Escape of the Holy
family to Egypt (Bashans 24, c. June 1): The Coptic
Church is distinguished among all nations with this unique divine work, by the
coming of our Lord to Egypt among the Gentiles.
d. The First Miracle of
our Lord Jesus at Cana (Tobah 13, c. January 12): Our
Lord changed the water into wine, as His first miracle, at the wedding in Cana
of Galilee, confirming His eagerness for our attaining the heavenly wedding,
and granting us the wine of His exceeding love.
e. The Transfiguration
of Christ (Musra 13; c. August 19): The unity of the
two testaments was manifested in this feast, for Moses and Elijah assembled
together with Peter, James and John. The glory of our Lord was revealed to
satisfy every soul who rises up with Him to the mountain of Tabor to enjoy the
brightness of His Glory.
f. Maundy Thursday: This
is the Thursday of the Holy week. In it we commemorate the establishment of the
Sacrament of Eucharist by our Lord Jesus, when He offered His Body and Blood as
the living and effective Sacrifice, capable of sanctifying our hearts, granting
us the victorious and eternal life.
This is the only day of
the Holy Week in which Sacrifice of the Eucharist is offered, and the rite of
washing the feet is practised in commemoration of
what Christ did for His disciples.
On this day also an
unusual procession takes place, starting from the south of the church nave,
during which a hymn of rebuking Jude the betrayal is chanted as a warning to us
not to fall like him.
g. Thomas's Sunday: This
is the Sunday that follows Easter; In it we bless those who believe without
seeing so that all might live in faith through the internal touch of the
Savior's wounds (John 20:29).
3. The Monthly Feasts
The believers joyfully
celebrate the commemoration of the Annunciation, Nativity and Resurrection of
Christ on the 29th of every Coptic month, the commemoration of St. Mary on the
21st and the feast of Archangel Michael on the 12th
4. The Weekly Feast
Every Sunday stands as a
true Sabbath (rest), in which we find our rest in the resurrection of Christ.
There is no abstention from food on Sundays after the celebration of the
Eucharist, even during Great Lent.
5. Feasts Of The Saints
There is almost a daily
feast, so that the believers may live in perpetual joy and in communion with
the saints. In addition there are other special fasts and occasions:
a. The Feasts of St.
Mary: The Coptic Church venerates St. Mary as the "Theotokos,"
i.e., the Mother of God, whom the Divine Grace chose to bear the Word of God in
her womb by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). Since she is considered to be the
exemplary member in the church, and the interceding mother on behalf of her
spiritual children, she is exalted above heavenly and earthly creatures.
Therefore, the church does not cease glorifying (blessing) her, and celebrating
her feasts in order that we imitate her and ask her intercessions on our behalf
Her main feasts are:
The annunciation of her
birth (Misra 7, c. August 13);
her Nativity (Paschans 1, c. May 9);
her Presentation into
the Temple (Kyahk 3, c. December 12);
her Dormant (Tobah 2 1, c. January 29);
the Assumption of her
body (Paoni 21, c. June 28);
her apparition over the
Church of Zeitoon (Baramhat
24, c. April 2);
and the apparition of
her body to the Apostles (Mesra 16, c. August 22).
b. The Apostles' Feast (Abib 5, c. July 12): This is the feast of martyrdom of the
Apostles SS. Peter and Paul. It is preceded by a fasting period which starts on
the day following the Pentecost. In this feast, the liturgy of blessing the
water takes place, in which the priest washes the feet of his people (men and
children) commemorating what the Lord did for His disciples. Thus, the priest
remembers that he is a servant who washes the feet of the people of God and not
a man of authority.
c. The Nayrouz Feast (I st of Tout, c.
September 11): The word "Nayrouz" is
Persian, meaning "the beginning of the year." The Egyptian calendar
goes back to 4240 B.C. Copts restored the calendar with the beginning of
Diocletian's reign in A.D 284, to commemorate the millions of Coptic martyrs.
His reign is considered a golden era in which the church offered true witnesses
to Christ, when the souls of martyrs departed to paradise and kept shining as
living stars therein.
This feast, with its
joyful hymns, continues until the feast of the Cross (Tout 17, c. 27
September). Thus the church announces her joy and gladness with the martyrs
through bearing the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, the
sufferings and martyrdom were turned into a source of joy.
d. The Two Feasts of the
Cross: The first feast is on Tout 17, (c. September 27). It commemorates the
dedication of the Church of the Holy Cross which was built by Queen Helen, the
mother of Emperor Constantine. The second feast, is on Barmahat
10 (c. March 19) and commemorates the discovery of the Holy Cross on the hands
of the same empress in A.D 326.
During these two feasts
the church conducts a procession similar to that of Palm-Sunday and uses the
same tone in chanting (Shannon-Hosanna), to announce that the cause of her joy
with the Cross is the openness of the hearts (the inner Jerusalem) to receive
the Savior as the King who reigns within us.
The Coptic Church And
The Spirituality Of Rite
The Rite Of Heaven
God is Spirit, and His
heavenly Creatures are spirits without bodies. Nevertheless, the book of
Revelation tells us about a rite of heaven; for it has specific hymns (Rev.
4:8) and certain worship (Rev. 4: 10); there we find the 24 incorporeal priests
with golden crowns on their heads and hold golden censers (Rev. 4:4). St. John
also describes the heavenly Jerusalem, its gates, foundation, walls and temple
etc.. (Rev. 21). Therefore, it is not surprising that the Alexandrian Church
established her rites since her conception.
A Ritual Church
The holy Scriptures
emphasize that our God is "not the author of confusion" I Con 14:33,
hence He establishes His heavens with splendid spiritual rites. The church of
the Old Testament carried out a rite which was "the copy and shadow of the
heavenly things" Heb. 8:5. The word of God dedicated some books of the Old
Testament to declare in detail and exactitude the rites of priesthood,
sacrifices, the structure of tabernacle and its tools, and rites of worship.
For God wants "all things to be done decently and in order I Cor. 14:40.
It is not in vain that
the Lord in the New Testament when He was about to feed the multitude, said to
His disciples: "Make them sit down in groups of fifty" Luke 9:14. He
rather emphasized the necessity of order to grant His heavenly gifts. The Lord
did not take a hostile stand towards the Jewish rite, but He subjected Himself
to the Law with its rites; He was circumcised and entered the Temple to
transfer the Jews to the spiritual rite with its heavenly concept.
However, He criticized
the literality and the formality of rite. The disciples also followed their
Lord's footsteps and attended the daily temple worship (Acts 3:46), besides
their meeting together to break the bread without attacking the Jewish rite.
They sought its completion through announcing the mystery of the cross and the
sacrifice of Christ. When they were dismissed from the temple and from the
Jewish synagogues as individuals and groups, the church did not live without
rite or order. On the contrary, the apostles emphasized the necessity of
"order" and "decency" to the Church of God (I Cor. 14:40, 1
Thess 5:14; 2 Thess 3:6),
declaring that orders and rites were handed out orally (I Cor. 11:34; Tit 1:5;
2 John 12:14).
The Aim Of The Coptic
Rites And Characteristics
The Coptic rite is not
an aim in itself, that the Church practises it
literally without understanding. It is rather the Church's language, uttered by
the holy congregation as a whole, and by every member, that they may enjoy the
pledge of heaven through the rites. Therefore, St. Clement of Alexandria states
that the church is the icon of heaven.
1. Any rite in which the
believer does not practise his communion with God the
Father, in His Son by the Holy Spirit and has not the experience of the joyful
evangelic life as a heavenly one, is strange to the Coptic Church. For example,
the rite of the sacrament of holy matrimony in its prayers concentrates on the
heavenly crown and the spiritual marriage between God and His saints. This can
be understood if the couple practise this sacrament
spiritually and comprehend that this marriage is an image of the greatest
mystery: the Union of Christ with His Church (Eph. 5:32).
2. The rite has its
educational role, since the Coptic Church presents all the Christian dogmas,
the concepts of faith, and the spiritual thoughts in very simple style. The
child understands it, the theologian is satisfied with it, the priest who is
burdened with pastoral work finds his comfort in it, and the spiritual ascetic
finds it
very nourishing to his
soul. For example by making the sign of the cross children acknowledge the
Trinitarian dogma and the divine incarnation, and through venerating icons they
understand the extension of the church as the body of Christ.
3. The Coptic rites is
characterized by harmony and oneness of spirit. Thus the church building with
its splendid rite is in accord with the liturgical rites so that believers live
under the guidance of the Spirit of God in a joyful pious life.
4. In the Coptic rite,
the body shares with the soul in worshipping God, whether in congregational,
familial or private worship. It is a sign of Church belief in unity of the
human being as a whole without ignoring the role of the body in the spiritual
life. In other words the church emphasizes the sanctity of the soul and the
body together through the Holy Spirit of God.
The Coptic rite which
contains hymns, standing piously for praying, stretching hands, kneeling,
offering incense etc. does not present restricted bodily movements, but it
represents a support of the body for the alert soul. In a similar way, every
evil bodily action is capable of destroying the soul and hindering her union
with God.
The rite is the language
of man as a whole, which uses all man's capabilities to express his innermost
which common language can't realize. Rite is an expression, which comes out of
the body interacting with the depths of the inner soul.
5. In the Coptic rite
not only the whole body participates in worshipping God, but also the creation
shares in glorifying the Creator. In other words, the believer, realizing the
sanctity of the creation, appears before God offering incense, wood (icons),
bread, wine etc. to God, declaring that all creation glorifies God. This
concept is in accordance with the words of the "Psalmody": [Praise
the Lord from the earth... fire, hail, snow, clouds etc. (Ps. 148)]. Thus the
inanimate creatures are not evil, nor do they hinder worship, but are good
tools, which the believer can use them to express the sanctity of all
creatures.
6. We may state that
rite is an integral part of Church life. It touches 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 it is practiced as a
duty or routine work, performed literally without understanding, it becomes an
obstacle to the evangelic spiritual life. In other words, the rite is not mere
order, an outer organization, or sets of laws that rule church life, but it is
in its essence a living spirit we have received throughout the ages. The rite
has its body, i.e., the visible order, and has also its spirit, i.e., the
innermost thought. Whoever accepts the body of the rite without the spirit
becomes a corpse, a burden, which should be buried. If we accept the body with
the spirit we enjoy a life which has its effect on the congregation and on
every individual.
The Fasting Order In The
Coptic Church
A Church Of Asceticism
God, who created all the
trees in the Garden of Eden for the sake of man, His beloved; ordered him not
to eat from just one specific tree. This was not to deprive man, or to impose
His authority, but rather to make man worthy of His love through fasting and
obeying His commandment; "man does not live by bread only, but by every
word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord..." Deut. 8:3, Matt. 4:4.
The Lord, Himself, the
Word Incarnate, fasted before undergoing trial and undertaking His ministry on
our behalf We therefore fast with Him to attain victory and blessings at work,
and to be able to proceed in the spirit and not according to the flesh (Rom. 8:
1). The Lord fasted for forty days (Matt. 4:2) to transfigurate
in the midst of Moses and Elijah who also fasted for forty days (Exod. 40:28; 1
Kings 19:8). In this way He declared that fasting is not deprivation, neither
is it a restraint upon the body; but it is rather a sublimation with our Lord
on Mount Tabor which enables us to enjoy His Glory made manifest in us.
The Coptic Church (as
well as the Ethiopian Church) is an ascetic church that believes in the power
of fasting in the life of the believers. Fasting is not considered a physical
exercise, but rather it is an offering of inward love offered by the heart as
well as the body. Consequently, the Church requests believers to fast for over six months a year. Strangely enough, the
Coptic Church desires - of its own free will to spend its whole life fasting,
while most churches in the world increasingly tend to reduce the fasting
periods from one generation to the next. In fact, during confession many of the
Coptic youth request to increase the days of fasting... very few indeed
complain of the many fasting periods.
The Concept Of Fasting
1. The church requires us to fast and abstain from food for a period of time to experience hunger. The Lord Himself experienced hunger (Matt. 4:2) though He is the source of all satisfaction, physical and spiritual. The apostles experienced hunger as they fasted (Acts 10:1; 2 Cor. 11:27). Moreover, we should not indulge in delicacies after abstention, but rather we should observe eating certai
n non-fat foods:
"I ate no pleasant
bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth" Dan. 10:3.
" Take you also
unto your wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and
spell" Ez. 4:9.
"MY knees are weak
through fasting, and my flesh fails of fatness" Ps. 109:24.
In spite of that,
fasting is not merely abstention from food, drink, or delicacies. It is
essentially an expression of our love to God who has given His Only-Begotten
Son to die for us. If the Lord Jesus delivered Himself for my sake (Ephes.
3:20), then in turn I wish to die all day for His sake (Rom. 8:38). Thus
fasting and abstention from food is closely connected with abstention from all
that is evil or has a semblance of evil. It is moreover connected with
continuous spiritual growth, thereby achieving an offering of fasting that is
holy in the eyes of God.
That is what Pope
Athanasius elaborated powerfully in his first letter: [When we fast, we should
hallow the fast (Joel 2:15)... It is required that not only with the body
should we fast, but also with the soul. Now the soul is humbled when it doesn't
follow wicked thoughts... And as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, being the
heavenly Bread, is the food of the saints... so is the devil the food of the
impure, and of those who do nothing which is of the light, but work the deeds
of darkness... For not only does such a fast obtain pardon for souls, but being
holy, it prepares the saints, and raises them above the earth].
2. God created our
"good" bodies and souls to function together under His guidance and
to carry out his will. Now if our souls succumb to the wicked desires of the
flesh in disobedience, we become carnal (Rom. 7:14), Through fasting we beseech
God to subjugate our bodies by the Holy Spirit so that we might live in the
spirit and not according to the flesh (Rom. 8:12). It is true that St. Paul
preached the Gospel to many, but he warned against the flesh, which he mastered
by fasting as he feared to be a castaway. (I Cor. 9:27).
3. While fasting, we
pray to be liberated from our "ego." Thus we fast and abstain from
"selfishness" as much as we abstain from food. We practice loving God
through loving our brothers and all humanity by His grace. Hence St. Paul says
"Though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it forfeit me
nothing" I Cor. 13:3. Therefore fasting should be associated with the
witness to God's love through giving alms and striving for the salvation of
souls. In the early church, many catechumens were baptized on Easter eve or the
Christian Passover as a result of the great activity of church preaching during
Lent besides the rest of the year doing so in a state of continuous prayer,
fasting and practical testimony. Particularly that people were more prepared,
while fasting, to receive the word of God and become members in the body of our
Lord Jesus.
Until today, Lent is
considered one of the richest periods of wholehearted devotion demonstrated by
practical offerings to the poor and the needy. Believers undertake this in
obedience to the Scripture: "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? Is
it not to deal by bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are
cast out to your house? " Is. 5 8:3 -7.
In the first centuries
of Christianity, praying and fasting (the direct love of God) were integrated
with alms giving (our love to God interpreted by our love to our neighbors).
This is explained in the book "The Shepherd" of Hermes, urging
believers to offer their savings resulting from fasting to widows and orphans,
Origen blesses those who fast and feed the poor, and St. Augustine has written
a whole book on fasting, as he feels that a person, who fasts without offering
his savings to the poor, has in fact practiced "greed" rather than
fasting.
4. The days of fasting
are days of repentance and contrition. At the same time, they are periods of
joy and cheer as believers experience victory and power in their innermost
self. Fasting does not imply fatigue, restraint, or irritation, but rather it
inspires joy and inward gladness with the Lord reigning within the heart...
This is the experience of the Coptic Church particularly during the Holy Week.
At that time believers practice asceticism more than at any other time of
fasting. The signs of real spiritual joy and consolation filling the heart are
so clearly evident then.
Pope Athanasius of
Alexandria has recorded this experience. He says: [Let us not fulfill these
days like those that mourn, but by enjoying spiritual food, let us try to
silence our fleshly lusts. For by these means we shall have strength to
overcome our adversaries, like blessed Judith (13:8), when having first
exercised herself in fasting and prayers, she overcame the enemies, and killed Olophernes
Fasting is not a
situation which may be used as a pretext for anger. It is rather an opportunity
to demonstrate a loving heart and power over the spirit of anger, selfishness,
and all egocentricity.
Fasting And Church Order
While many Copts (as
well as Ethiopians) spend most of their days fasting of their own free will,
and while they do so by the motherly help and love of the Church (through the
Church Order), Many westerners avoid the cross of fasting and put forward the
following excuses:
1. Fasting is an
individual worship to be practiced privately (in secret) (Matt. 6:17,18). The
answer to this is that the same commandment applies to prayer and giving alms
(Matt. 6:3,6). Besides, prayer and alms giving are practiced in all the
churches of the world on a communal basis. In the Old Testament people observed
communal worship in the form of prayer, hymns and Bible readings as well as
fasting (Zech. 8:19; Est. 4:3. 16; Ezra. 8:21; 2 Chorn.
203; Joel 3:5). In the New Testament the apostles fasted together (Act 13:2,3).
Hence why should believers avoid communal fasting under the pretext of private
observance? The secret of the Early Church being strong was its unified faith
as well as communal participation even in fasting. History itself is a witness
that ever since the apostolic age, both Eastern and Western churches fasted on
Wednesdays and Fridays besides the Great Lent. To answer to the concept of
fasting privately in order to avoid boastfulness, we find the apostle revealing
that he fasted. He announces "with fasting," and he practiced it with
those who were on the boat (Acts 27:21).
2. Why are the days set
for fasting specifically designated? If they are not indicated or organized by
the Church, believers may be deprived of fasting all their lives. This is just
what has happened in most Western Churches. In the Old Testament there were
designated fasting days (Zech. 8:9) side by side with communal fasting or
personal ones practiced in periods of hardship.
3. Some object to
fasting designated by the Church by quoting the words: "Let no man
therefore judge you in meat or in drink..." Col 2:16, and "What God
has cleansed, that call you common" Act 10: 11- 15, and also the words:
some shall depart from the faith. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to
abstain from meats which God has created to be received with
thanksgiving..." I Tim. 4:1-3. This can be explained as follows:
a. The Apostle didn't
say, "Let no man therefore judge you in fasting" but he said…
"In meat or in drink." Thus what is intended here is the abstention
from certain forbidden food designated by the Law of Moses. As when St. Peter
saw a great sheet cover with all kinds of food and abstained at first (Acts 10:
11 - 15). Therefore the Apostle meant here to fight the idea of reverting to
Judaism.
b. Concerning those who
forbid specific food such as the Manichaeans and the Donatists, who also have forbidden marriage as unclean and
eating meat as defiling ... those were excommunicated. During fasting we do not
forbid certain food (as unclean) but we voluntarily subjugate and control the
body (I Cor. 9:27).
It is noteworthy to
underline that the first man was vegetarian (Gen. 1:29), and man continued to
avoid eating meat until the period of Noah's ark (Gen. 9:3). At that time his
spiritual standard dropped. This explains why believers eat vegetarian food
when they wish to create a suitable atmosphere for spiritual development. The
same behavior was observed by Daniel and the three young men at the palace, and
also by Ezekiel.
c. "Church
Order" is essential to communal life, as it is indicated in 2 John.
Besides, the church is known for its flexibility; believers can be allowed to
increase, decrease or even stop fasting by their spiritual fathers, during
confession, and according to their spiritual, physical, or health condition.
Periods Of Fasting In
The Coptic Church
First: The Weekly fast:
Just as the church practices worship weekly, it also practices general fasting
weekly. This has its origin in the Jewish Church. Jews were accustomed to fast
on Mondays and Thursdays, as on these two days Moses went up to receive the
commandments and descended the mountain carrying the two stone tablets. That is
why when Christ spoke about the Pharisee, He said he boasted about fasting
every week (Luke 18:12). Since the apostolic age, the Church has been aware of
the value of fasting and designated Wednesdays and Fridays as days for fasting.
This is done in memory of Christ's betrayal and crucifixion.
Second: The Great Lent
or "Tessaracoste (forty days fasting)."
This is set to achieve a dual purpose: first, to be prepared to experience the
joyful resurrection of the crucified Lord. Secondly, to prepare catechumens
through teaching and guidance to practice worship together with practical
repentance, so that they might receive the sacrament of baptism on Easter eve.
It is necessary to stop
and reflect upon these two objectives. Although we celebrate the resurrection
weekly on every Sunday, and practice the "resurrected life" every day
through continuous renewal and unceasing repentance, yet we are in need of the
fasting period of forty days (Great Lent) besides the Holy Week in order to
become ready for the joy of the resurrection and the power it gives. Within
this period we practice "mortification" in the Lord, that His
resurrection may be transfigured in us, and to be able to say with the Apostle
Paul: "If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified
together" Rom. 8:17.
With regards to the
preparation of the catechumens within this period, fasting is necessary for the
performance of this task, and gives an increasingly deep significance. It
implies an open loving heart towards human race. The whole church fasts, so
that God may attract new children to Him, and prepare them for the blessings of
His Fatherhood... Thus fasting is a sign of our faith in God's power manifested
in our ministry and preaching. On the other hand, fasting particularly the
Great Lent should have the aim of witnessing to Jesus Christ and of unceasing
prayer for the sanctification of mankind.
At every Lent, a
believer used to remember how the Church fasted on his behalf and strived to
gain him as a holy vessel and as an altar to the Lord. Similarly, it is his
turn now to repay this love by working for the salvation of others.
Actually the observance
of "Great Lent" dates back to the age of the apostles:
a. In the writings of
St. Irenaeus in the second century - mention is made
of believers who fasted for a day, besides others who fasted for two days
before Easter, as well as others who fasted for longer periods. There is
reference to some who counted forty hours in a day. This does not mean that St.
Irenaeus negates fasting during Lent or the Holy
Week, but he indicates the complete abstention from food which precedes the
Easter Liturgy of Eucharist. For while some are satisfied to fast on Holy
Saturday (and that is the only time when the Coptic Church fasts on a Saturday
in the form of complete abstention), others abstain for two successive days: Good
Friday and Holy Saturday. Concerning the calculation of forty hours in a day,
this probably refers to a custom practiced in the second century, and which
some Copts follow, wherein fasting starts on Good Friday and continues until
sunrise on Easter Sunday i.e., until the celebration of the Easter Liturgy.
This is equivalent to forty hours.
b. In the middle of the
third century, there is strong evidence that fasting extended for six days
(from Holy Monday to Holy Sunday). Some scholars comment on this as a clear
indication of the distinction made between fasting during the six paschal
(Holy) days as a whole and fasting on Good Friday and Holy Saturday which has
specific significance 10. Actually, what occurred in the third century may be
considered as complementary to what is mentioned by St. Irenaeus.
This saint mentions complete long abstention preceding the Easter Liturgy,
whereas what is mentioned regarding the middle of the third century refers to
fasting during the Holy Week as a whole and which also has specific
significance, especially that it is still observed by our Church with greater
asceticism than the rest of Lent period.
c. In AD 325, the
Council of Nicene mentioned Lent as a settled matter recognized by the
Universal Church, and not as an innovation in the church or in some churches.
d. In the middle of the
fourth century, St. Athanasius was greatly concerned with writing the
"Paschal Letters," even in his exile. The Popes of Alexandria have
followed this custom at least ever since Pope Dionysius of Alexandria. These
were written on the occasion of the Epiphany, not only to designate Easter time
but also to designate the beginning of Lent immediately followed by the Holy
Week and by Easter day.
It is noteworthy that in
the letters that have come down to us, St. Athanasius integrated Lent with the
Holy Week, although he stressed the clear distinction between them.
The Coptic Church fasts
for fifty five days (forty day [Lent]; eight days [Holy Week] and seven days
instead of the seven Saturdays which are not observed with complete abstention.
Third: Other Periods of
Fasting: Besides the weekly fasting and Lent followed by the Holy Week, Copts
observe the following periods of fasting:
1- Fasting before
Christmas: Its win is spiritual preparation to receive the birth of Christ. It
lasts for forty days plus three days in memory of the general fast observed in
the reign of Al Moiz when EI-Muqattarn
Mountain was moved.
2- The Fast of the
Apostles: This begins on the day following Pentecost and continues until the
feast of the martyrs, SS. Peter and Paul, on Abib the
fifth (twelfth of July). The aim of this fasting period is to fill the soul
with fervor and zeal to preach the Word with an apostolic thought.
3- The Fast of Nineveh:
This lasts for three days. It starts on the Monday preceding the one before
Lent. It probably refers to Jonah's fast, while he was inside the whale's
belly.
4- The Fast of the Holy
Virgin: This takes place fifteen days before the celebration of the Holy Virgin
Mary feast. (It lasts from the seventh to the twenty second of August (16th of Misra)).
5- Fasting on the eve (Paramoun) of Christmas and on the eve of the Epiphany...
this fast is observed immediately before these feasts, it is taken with great
asceticism. If this occurs on a Saturday or Sunday, then fasting starts on
Friday to allow complete abstention until sunset.
Notes on Periods of
Fasting observed by the Copts:
1- Fasting is not
observed on Wednesdays and Fridays occurring in the "Pentecostal
Period," i.e., the fifty days starts from Easter to Pentecost.
2- The sick and
travelers may reduce the periods set for fasting by absolution during
confession. As for those who observe asceticism, they many fast all their lives
and follow no restrictions. Upon consecration, a bishop fasts for a complete
year.
Church Readings In The
Coptic Church
Man's words proclaim his
inner life, characteristics, personality, abilities and his gifts. Likewise
church readings uncover her nature, thoughts, aims, and abilities.
Church Readings In The
Early Ages
Jews used to pray daily
liturgies besides the rites of the morning and evening sacrifices, especially
on Saturdays and on feasts. The synagogue set certain readings especially for
Saturdays.
We can summarize the
contents of the daily Jewish liturgy in the days of Jesus Christ in the
following points:
1. The president of the
synagogue chooses one of the people to read the "Shema,"
i.e., the Jewish Creed which contains Deut. 6:49; 11:13-21; Num. 15:37-41, and
the 18 blessings (On Saturday there are only 7 blessings).
2. A reading from the
Pentateuch (five books of Moses) in Hebrew and in Aramaic.
3. A reading from the
Prophets or other books.
4. If there was a
suitable person or persons to preach, he (or they) did so (Acts 13:15).
5. The Christians who
had Jewish origin participated in these Jewish liturgies till the year A.D 60
(Acts 20:16).
6. The Christian Church
inherited from the synagogue the readings from the Scriptures that were
suitable to the Christian mind.
7. In the second
century, St. Justin stated that the church admitted readings from the Gospels
and the apostolic writings.
8. In the second century
there were certain church readings especially for feasts of Christian Pasch and
Pentecost. Afterward other readings were set as those of the feasts of martyrs
and of Sundays. [Many of the church Fathers mentioned the use of the two
testaments in the church readiness.]
9. Before the Council of
Nicea, the church had one "Lectionary" or
more.
The Features Of The
Readings In The Coptic Church
First: Church readings
can be divided into two kinds, each one revealing a side of the church nature:
1. Readings that present
a general line throughout the year, starts with El-Nayrouz
(the beginning of the Coptic year) and continue till the end of the year in a
certain theological and spiritual manner. These readings throughout the whole
year uncover the church curriculum and her spiritual ladder, and at the same
time represent the church catholicity (universalism) and her unity.
2. Everyday readings,
according to the feasts of the saints and other circumstances. These readings
show the distinctive nature of a day and the other. According to us, this
represents the distinction between church members, and the variety of their
gifts. This distinction and variety complement the catholicity of the church
and her unity.
We can call the first
kind of readings: "The general line of church readings" while the
other is called: "The special readings."
Second: Church readings
are considered as a part of church worship, these readings are recited with
special tones (in Coptic) to declare the purpose of the choice of the church
from these readings. Through church readings, worshipers offer to God hymns of
love. In other words, church readings are prayers, through them we hear God's
voice and talk to Him secretly. These readings are a dialogue of love between
God and His people, therefore there is no church worship without biblical
readings. Church readings are used not only through the daily Eucharistic
liturgy but also in evening (Vesper), and morning (Malin)
offerings, also through different liturgies such as the funeral services. Even
in the canonical hours, every time we pray, the Psalms are mixed with certain
readings from the New Testament.
Third: Church readings
in the Eucharistic liturgy are not set by distributing the chapters of the two
Testaments throughout the year, but the church chooses by the guidance of the
Holy Spirit certain chapters to present an integral spiritual and theological curriculum.
This curriculum is in accordance with church occasions, hymns and rites
throughout the year, aiming at the edification of the holy community.
Fourth: Besides the
readings from the two testaments which are in accordance with the church hymns,
there are other readings from the traditional and patristic writings, such as:
1. The "Synixarum": It contains the biographies of saints and
God's actions with the church throughout the ages.
2. The "Difnar": It contains doxologies to God who acted in
the life of the saint whose feasts we celebrate. This book is no longer used in
most of our churches.
3. Patristic sermons
like those of St. John Chrysostom. Today most of our churches suffice with a
sermon preached by one of the clergymen.
Church Readings Books
There are many
"Lectionaries" that contain selected chapters from the Holy Bible,
used in the Eucharistic liturgy, vespers and matins:
1. General Lectionary:
contains readings for Sundays and ordinary days throughout the year. It is
divided according to the Coptic months.
2. Lectionary for the
Great Lent.
3. Lectionary for the
Holy Week (Paschal Week).
4. Lectionary for the
Pentecostal period (the period between Easter and Pentecost).
The General Line For The
General Church Readings
Besides everyday readings
(special church readings of the Days), the general church readings through the
Coptic year present an integral church curriculum as an evangelic, ascetic,
theological and eschatological (heavenly) one and at the same time it does not
ignore our practical everyday life on earth.
The general church
readings are for the followings periods:
1. From El-Nayrouz feast (the beginning of the Coptic Year) to the
feast of the Cross (1:17 Tout): The readings of this period concentrate on joy,
chanting hymns and the constant renewal; the first verse that is read in the
eve of El-Nayrouz is: "Sing to the Lord a new
song." Truly, repentance is the way to the kingdom of God, but when
repentance is mixed with hope, it is practiced through per petual
inner joy.
The analogy between El-Nayrouz (Feast of Martyrs) and
the feast of the Cross. Using a joyful (Farayhi) tone
throughout this period confirms the joyful life of the suffering church, for
she joyfully bears the cross together with her Heavenly Groom.
2. The preparation for
Christmas (Nativity of Christ in Keyahk 29): The
church fasts for 43 days before Christmas, and presents readings which
concentrate on "God's friendship with man" realized by the divine
incarnation.
3. The correlation
between the feasts of Christmas, Circumcision and Epiphany (The Baptism of
Jesus Christ): The readings of these feasts announce that our Friend became
like us, submitted Himself to the Law and was circumcised. He also entered with
us into. the Jordan River, was baptized to lift us up to the spiritual
circumcision, changing our friendship to Him unto the "Adoption to
God", that we might become "members of the household of God"
Eph. 2:19.
In other words, the
"divine friendship'' (Christmas) can be realized through two integral
actions: descent of the Word of God unto, us (His circumcision like us), and
lifting us up to Him by His Holy Spirit (our spiritual circumcision or our
baptism). He became like us, subjected Himself to the Law which He issued, that
we might become like Him, children of His Holy Father!
4. "Jonah's
Pasch": Our adoption to God is realized through "passing over"
(Pasch), for we have to die with Christ, be buried with Him (as if we were in
the belly of the great fish), that we might reign with Him and enjoy the new
life [the word "Pasch" means "Passover"].
The readings of the
fasting and of the "Pasch" of Jonah represent a call to believers
that they might read the books of the Old Testament in a new concept, through
the events of the Christian Pasch, i.e., the crucifixion and resurrection of
Christ.
5. The readings of Great
Lent, on Sundays and ordinary days in Lent. These readings, from the Old and
New Testaments, have their particular features, for they urge us to accept the
true and practical communion with Christ, our Pasch, who was slain for our
sake.
6. The readings of the
Holy Week, i.e., the readings of the period from Saturday of Lazarus till
Easter. These readings are considered the center of all church readings, for
through them the church follows all the events of salvation hour by hour, to
declare the mystery of the redeeming divine love from the Old and New
Testaments, so that believers might live in these events with all their hearts
and senses and lastly enjoy the delight of Christ's resurrection
7. The Pentecostal
Period, with its readings and joyful (Farayhi) hymns
reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, which in its essence is the
enjoyment of communion with the Risen Christ, who is in heavens.
8. The Feast of the
Apostles (5th of Abib 12 July): It is the feast of
preaching and ministering unceasingly, and the feast of the acceptance of the
apostolic life.
9. The Feast of St. Mary
(16 Misra 22 August): It declares the glories that a
believer might attain by his unity with the Glorious Christ, revealed in a
unique way in St. Mary as the excellent member among the believers. It also
assures the communion of saints.
10. The preparation for
El-Nayrouz: In the last two weeks of the Coptic year,
church readings attract our sight and mind towards the events of the end of the
world and Christ's last advent. Church readings prepare the believers to sing:
"Yes; Come O Lord Jesus."
In brief, the frame of
the general curriculum of the church is:
1. It starts with the
spiritual joy in the Lord together with the desire of the continual renewal, as
a base for our spiritual life (Feast of El-Nayrouz
till the feast of the Cross c.II September up to c.
27 September).
2. This joy is based on
God's friendship and love towards men (Christmas or the Feast of the Nativity
of Christ - 7 January).
3. God's love and
friendship were realized through His participating in our nature, that we may
also participate in Jesus' sonship by the spirit of
adoption (Feasts of Circumcision and Epiphany - 19 January).
4. This sonship is realized by passing over from bondage through
the Pasch, the center of the Old Testament (Jonah's Pasch).
5. The Old Pasch is a
symbol of our True Pasch, the Crucified and Risen Christ (The Great Lent).
6. We have to accept the
practical communion with our Pasch by participating in His crucifixion so that
we might attain the delight and power of His resurrection (The Holy Week).
7. We have to accept the
eschatological (heavenly) thought, that we might not miss the inner kingdom
(The Pentecostal period).
8. As we attain
communion with God we must witness to Him by preaching (The Feast of the
Apostles).
9. Our communion with
God leads us to the communion with our brothers and unites us with His saints
(The Feast of St. Mary).
10 Our experience of the
communion with God and with our brothers inflames our desire for the Lord's
last advent, to enjoy the heavenly and eternal communion in the perfect glories
(The end of the year).
Through the above
mentioned summary we remark that the Coptic Church presents through the general
readings an integral thought about God's love and His redeeming work. It also
presents our responsibility for the spiritual struggling, meditation on the
heavenly glories accompanied by accepting sufferings joyfully, attaining the
mysteries of the word of God together with preaching and witnessing, and
attaining the communion with God and His son by His Holy Spirit through our
communion altogether in Him.
Private Worship In The
Coptic Church
One Worshipping Life
In his daily life,
conduct and worship, the believer bears an integral indivisible life, either
life "in Christ" or "out of Christ." When he enjoys his
life "In Christ," his fellowship in public worship is complimented by
practicing his unseen private worshipping; as both represent one devotional
life. In other words, sharing the church liturgies with the congregation, a
believer fortifies his spiritual life when he goes into his private room and
shuts the doors of his senses. Thus when he is among the group physically, his
heart, mind and soul are at liberty in heavens meeting and conversing
intimately with God as though the universe embraces none but them both. And
when he enters into his private room, closes the outer door and pours forth in front
of God in a true spiritual worship he holds the whole world -in his heart; I
mean the whole human race praying for them and seeking their prayers on his
behalf While he is in his room he feels he is inside the church that unites a
host of spiritual militants with the victorious including the heavenly hosts.
In the fight of this
concept we cannot draw a dividing line that separates between church life and
private worshipping life, because the church is every believer holding firmly
together with his brethren in the One Head.
That is why in the
present time, due to housing problems in Egypt, when a believer does not find a
private room to pray in solitude, he stands or bows in prayer in the presence
of the family members. He does not abstain from praying because he does not
have a private locked room. His room is already inside him if he chooses to
shut out his senses.
Private Or Individual
Worship?
Individuality is
non-existent in our Church's dictionary. The spirit of individuality and
isolation has been eliminated in the human loving Christ, that we might live in
the spirit of collective love even if we were in our private rooms. This I have
clarified frequently while talking about monasticism and monarchism. Hence
monasticism is not an inner isolation from the community, or a practice of
individual life, but it is a unity with God, the Lover-of-mankind.
Private Worship
In the Coptic Church,
the believer practices many private forms of worships of which we mention:
1. The Canonical Hours
(the Agbia prayers): The early church took after the
Jewish Church the system of dividing the days into hours of prayers. Many of
the Copts pray Matins and Compline and some pray
Midnight. When they have the chance they pray other prayers.
We need to notice the
following in the Canonical Hours prayers:
a. Every prayer is
called "song of praise," as though the church is calling on her
children to lead a life of joy if possible all the hours of their life, day and
night.
b. In every hour the
church offers us the memory of a certain phase of God's redeeming work. The
"Matin" song of praise reminds us of the
resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and our daily resurrection to begin a new
life in Him. The Terce (praise of the third hour)
reminds us of the coming upon the church of the Holy Spirit of God, the Giver
of perpetual renewal and holiness. In the Text we remember the crucifixion of
our Lord Jesus Christ, while in the None (ninth hour) we remember the death in
the flesh of our Lord and the acceptance of the right hand thief, in Paradise.
In the Vespers (sunset) we remember the removing of our Lord's Body from the
cross, giving thanks for concluding the day, and asking Him that we might spend
the night in peace. In Compline we remember the
burial of the Body of our Lord watching for the end of our sojourn on earth...
yet in the three midnight prayers we await for the advent of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
c. The hourly songs of
praise begins with giving thanks to God after the Lord's prayer, then
submitting our repentance (Psalms 50 [51]), followed by praise with Psalms.
2. Besides the prayers
or the praises of the Canonical Hours the believer practices his private talk
with God; one time praising, another time thanking and a third time contending
and a fourth time asking and pleading. It is worthy of the believer to be
openhearted. He would not focus in his prayers upon his personal needs but ask
for all if possible: for his beloved as well as his antagonists, for his
acquaintances as well as for strangers, for believers as well as nonbelievers.
3. It is worthy of a
believer also to practice "kneeling" (Metanias),
as a sign of contrition and repentance. The believer trains himself to practice
"kneeling" for the salvation of others.
4. Preoccupation with
God through the day, that is "prayer of calling Jesus' name". Which
is called the "arrow prayer," in which the believer cries out from
moment to moment with a short prayer calling the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
as an arrow to strike with, the snares of our enemy Satan. This action, simple
as it is, has its own effectiveness in the life and worship of the believer.
5. Praises,
glorification and beatification: some believers practice church hymns daily or
on feasts as a private worship in their bedrooms. Here we need to mention that
some Copts prefer setting up a special corner for prayer. If this is not easy
to do we find that many icons decorate their homes as a sign of their longing
for holy life in God and fellowship with the saints.
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|| Bible Study || Biblical topics || Bibles || Orthodox Bible Study || Coptic Bible Study || King James Version || New King James Version || Scripture Nuggets || Index of the Parables and Metaphors of Jesus || Index of the Miracles of Jesus || Index of Doctrines || Index of Charts || Index of Maps || Index of Topical Essays || Index of Word Studies || Colored Maps || Index of Biblical names Notes || Old Testament activities for Sunday School kids || New Testament activities for Sunday School kids || Bible Illustrations || Bible short notes|| Pope Shenouda || Father Matta || Bishop Mattaous || Fr. Tadros Malaty || Bishop Moussa || Bishop Alexander || Habib Gerguis || Bishop Angealos || Metropolitan Bishoy ||
|| Prayer of the First Hour || Third Hour || Sixth Hour || Ninth Hour || Vespers (Eleventh Hour) || Compline (Twelfth Hour) || The First Watch of the midnight prayers || The Second Watch of the midnight prayers || The Third Watch of the midnight prayers || The Prayer of the Veil || Various Prayers from the Agbia || Synaxarium