The goal of the leader is to lead the deacons in chanting as a chorus, and the chorus of the deacons will in turn lead the congregation.
The goal of the leader is to maintain a reasonable pitch that can be followed by the congregation, and a reasonable pace to finish the service on time.
Leading in General
Respond in the same language as Abouna prayed
If there is a visiting priest on a Friday or Sunday, and they pray in Arabic, response should be in English as these days are dedicated to English liturgies.
Deacon Responses are never skipped
Maintain a pitch that is fair to both the men and the women - if you don't find the congregation singing along, the pitch may be too high
Leaders should pray (and lead) the Vespers Praises, Vespers Raising of Incense, and Midnight Praises on the evening they are scheduled to lead
Leader 1
Leader 1 should communicate with the fathers the priests about any hymns that will be chanted, what time Abouna wants to start communion, etc.
Leader 1 should maintain the pace of the liturgy to finish on time
Leader 1's main role is to lead the deacons in chanting the hymns and responses. He should use the microphone to start hymns (to communicate a baseline pitch and pace), and also when needing to adjust the pace, pitch, language of the liturgy.
Leader 1 needs to communicate with both sides of deacon's chorus, and any deacons sitting in the men's section of the nave.
For example, if he intends to say the "long amen" during the confession, or the "high ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲉ ⲉⲗⲉⲏⲥⲟⲛ" during the Fraction, this should be communicated to all deacons on both sides of the chorus.
Leader 2 can help with this.
In hymns that are chanted antiphonally (e.g. the ϩⲓⲧⲉⲛs, doxologies, etc.), Leader 1 should chant with the Southern Chorus and should be responded to by the Northern Chorus
Leader 2
Leader 2's role is to pray and sing hymns, while facing the East (facing the deacons in the Northern Chorus).
Leader 2 should keep his eyes on the Northern Chorus and ensure that they are standing appropriately for the liturgy, facing the east, chanting together, following the leader, etc.
If any Elementary or Middle School deacon has a question (e.g. "can I go to the bathroom" - "I don't feel good" - "Can I get a tissue" - various other things that come up), Leader 2 should be the one to address it
Leader 2 can also assist with distribution and movement of the iPad, Microphone, Cymbals and Triangle - be wise in your distribution.
Leader 2's job is NOT to chant antiphonally with Leader 1. That is the job of the Northern Chorus
Distributing the Deacon Responses of the 5 Short Litanies during Vespers
Distribute them all at once, ensure the deacon is ready, standing, holding the microphone
Make sure the deacon knows how to say the response - especially for the Litany of the Fathers
Agpeya Gospels and Troparia during the Midnight Prayers and the Liturgy's 3rd and 6th hours
Make every effort to give as many deacons a chance to read as possible
Be wise in your distribution... e.g. don't distribute the litany of the fathers "Pray for our archpriest..." to someone who is young or does not know it, or may fumble the names
Be accommodating to guests in the Church. Since we have a Readings Schedule, the Agpeya readings are a time when we can involve those visiting from other places.
Reading and Chant Distributions
Chanted Readings (including Psalms) are handled by ______. If he is not there, Leader 1 or 2 can take care of any needed replacement.
Liturgy Readings are handled by _______. If he is not there and Morcous is not there, Leader 1 and 2 can take care of any needed replacement.
Occasions
Non-Seasonal Days
One of the Coptic Readings (Ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲫⲃⲱⲕ, ⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲛ, ⲡⲣⲁⲝⲓⲥ) should be chanted
If Ⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲛ is chanted, it should be preceded by ⲁⲡⲉⲧϫⲏⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
If ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲫⲃⲱⲕ is chanted, it should be followed by ⲡⲓϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲅⲁⲣ
In the period between the Feast of the Cross and the Month of Kiahk, on annual days, chant the Watos Aspasmos "O Lord God of Hosts"
Vespers Doxologies:
St Mary
Heavenly Hosts
Apostles
St Mark
St Rebekah
Conclusion
Saints of the day in their appropriate order
Matins Doxologies:
St Mary
St Mark
St Rebekah
Conclusion
Saints of the day in their appropriate order
Praxis Response
St Mary
St Rebekah
Saints of the day in their appropriate order
Feast of Nayrouz
Chant the Adam or Watos Aspasmos in every Liturgy
Joyful Agios should always be chanted
Month of Kiahk
Vespers Praise
Roumi every week
Week 1: Psali CE, Bohairic A+B, Cantor Gabriel A
Week 2: Psali EC, Moaqab, Cantor Gabriel B, Pope Markos
Week 3: Alt Psali, Egyptian, Cantor Gabriel C, El Bardanohee
Week 4: I praise the chaste virgin, EC Sahidic, Abo El Saad
Doxologies
Always "For when I speak about you"
Week 1: Fifth Doxology "When the lot fell on Zacharias..."
Week 2: Third Doxology "Gabriel the angel announced to...", Fourth Doxology “In the Sixth Month…”
Week 3: Second Doxology "The adornment of the Virgin"
Week 4: Both Doxologies for St John the Baptist
Always Doxology for Archangel Gabriel
Always Doxology for St John the Baptist
Rejoice O Mary
Gospel Responses
Week 1: "The Lord sent Gabriel to preach to Zacharias"
Week 2: "We send you greetings with Gabriel the angel"
Week 3: "We exalt you worthily with Elizabeth..."
Week 4: "Elizabeth gave birth to a son..."
These responses match the gospel reading of each week, in keeping with the original rite as outlined in "Tarteeb el Bey3a"
Chant them in Coptic and then in English
Feast of the Nativity
Midnight Praises
Matins
Seven Tunes
Litany of the Oblations (Twbh Ejen)
Offertory
"Pray that God may have mercy" (Ⲧⲱⲃϩ ϩⲓⲛⲁ)
Liturgy of the Word
E Parthenos + Today the Virgin
Pijinmisi + The Virginal Birth
Apenchois + Our Lord
Joyful Agios
Long Sengary Psalm in Coptic - end with Alleluia and the Psalm in English
Liturgy of the Faithful
Aspasmos Adam
Aspasmos Watos
Feast of the Theophany
Veneration for St John the Baptist
Midnight Praises
Lakkan
Matins
Seven Tunes
Litany of the Oblations (Twbh Ejen)
Offertory
"One is the Holy Father" (Ⲓⲥ Ⲡⲁⲧⲏⲣ)
Liturgy of the Word
Ouran en shosho (first verse in Coptic and English)
Liturgy of the Faithful
Distribution
Great Lent
No Coptic Readings should be chanted
Ⲙⲉⲅⲁⲗⲟⲩ should be chanted every Sunday
Chant the Aspasmos Adam and Aspasmos Watos (alternate each week)
Treasures Sunday, Prodigal Son, Paralytic: Aspasmos Adam
Temptation, Samaritan Woman, Man Born Blind: Aspasmos Watos
Annunciation Feast
Chant the Festive Pauline
Palm Sunday
Feast of the Resurrection
"Greet one another" (Ⲁⲥⲡⲁⲍⲉⲥⲑⲉ)
Holy Fifty Days
No Coptic Readings should be chanted since there is a procession and many hymns in the Liturgy of the Word
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