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Leading Guidelines

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
  • 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

Annual Days

  • One of the Coptic Readings (Ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲫⲃⲱⲕ, ⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲛ, ⲡⲣⲁⲝⲓⲥ) should be chanted
    • If Ⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲛ is chanted, it should be preceded by ⲁⲡⲉⲧϫⲏⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
  • 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"

Long Deacon Responses

For many years I wanted to standardize when we say each of these to ensure that we say each one at least once a year. The following below is a general structure with some contemplations attached to it.

  • "One is the Holy Father" (Ⲓⲥ Ⲡⲁⲧⲏⲣ)
    • Theophany Feast
    • Since the Theophany Feast is a celebration of the Manifestation of God as Trinity in the voice of the Father, presence of the Son and appearance of the Holy Spirit in the likeness of a dove.
  • "Greet one another" (Ⲁⲥⲡⲁⲍⲉⲥⲑⲉ)
    • Resurrection Feast 
    • The Reconciliation Prayer is not prayed after Palm Sunday since there are no liturgies until Thursday, and we cease all greetings from Wednesday. When we pray the Reconciliation Prayer on the Feast of the Resurrection, it is a reminder that by the Lord's death and Resurrection, the reconciliation between heaven and earth; God and man, is completed.
  • "Pray that God may have mercy" (Ⲧⲱⲃϩ ϩⲓⲛⲁ)
    • Nativity Feast
  • "Through the prayers" (Ⲉⲩⲭⲉⲥ)

Feast of Nayrouz

  • Chant the Adam or Watos Aspasmos in every Liturgy
  • Joyful Agios should be chanted

Month of Kiahk

  • Vespers Praise
    • Roumi every week
    • Week 1: Bohairic A+B, Abou El Saad, Cantor Gabriel A
    • Week 2: Moaqab, Cantor Gabriel B, Pope Markos
    • Week 3: Egyptian, Cantor Gabriel C, El Bardanohee
    • Week 4: Sahidic
  • 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..."
    • Week 3: Second Doxology "The adornment of the Virgin"
    • 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"

Feast of the Nativity


Feast of the Theophany

  •  

Great Lent

  • No Coptic Readings should be chanted
  • Ⲙⲉⲅⲁⲗⲟⲩ should be chanted every Sunday

Palm Sunday


Feast of the Resurrection

  •  

Holy Fifty Days

  • No Coptic Readings should be chanted

Ascension Feast


Pentecost

  • Ⲡⲓⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁ should be chanted during the Liturgy of the Word and the Kneeling Prayer

Apostles Fast and Feast

  • On the Apostles Feast, chant the verses for Peter and Paul during Ⲟⲛⲧⲟⲥ

Fast and Feast of St Mary

  • Veneration during Vespers
  • Chant the long Praxis Response Ⲭⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲉ Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ followed by the verse Ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲁⲗⲏⲑⲱⲥ
  • Chant Rejoice O Mary
  • Chant Ⲁⲧⲁⲓ ⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ during Distribution
  • Chant the Psalm Ϫⲉ ⲁⲩⲥⲁϫⲓ during Vespers of the Feast of St Mary


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