The Liturgy of the Coptic Orthodox Church

Introduction The word Copt is derived from the Greek word Aigyptos, which was, in turn, derived from "Hikaptah", one of the names for Memphis, the first capital of Ancient Egypt. 1 The ancient Egyptian Hak-ka-Ptah is the house of Ptah, a most highly revered deity in Egyptian mythology. 2 From the Arab conquest until today, this term refers to the Christian Egyptians to distinguish them from the native Muslims. The Coptic Church was established by the teachings of Saint Mark who brought Christianity to Egypt during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero in the first century. Saint Mark and the Coptic Church Saint Mark is credited with writing the oldest of the four canonical gospels. According to the Life of the Apostle and Evangelist Mark written by Severus, Bishop of Al-Ushmunain, in the late tenth century, Mark was one of the servants who poured out the water that Jesus turned into wine at the marriage at Cana, and that it was his house in which Jesus appeared to the disciples in hiding after His resurrection from the dead. St. Mark was one of the seventy disciples of Jesus Christ.3 After the resurrection, Saint Peter and Saint Mark went out to evangelize, and one night, Peter had a dream in which he was told to go, along with Mark, to Rome and to Alexandria. After preaching in Rome for a time, Mark went to Egypt and converted many to the Christian faith in the countryside; then leaving a small community of Christians there, he went to Alexandria.4 St. Mark came to Egypt around the year 40 A.D., and established the Coptic Church in Alexandria. It is worth noting here that the Liturgy was first used (orally) in Alexandria by Mark. 5 He was martyred there and became the first Christian martyr in Egypt. Liturgy of the Coptic Church6 At present there are three Liturgies used in the Coptic Orthodox Church: 1. The Liturgy according to St Basil, bishop of Caesarea, 2. The Liturgy according to St Gregory of Nazianzus, bishop of Constantinople, 3. The Liturgy according to St Cyril I, the 24th Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church The Liturgy according to St. Basil is the one used most of the year; St. Gregory's Liturgy is used during the feasts and on certain occasions; only parts of St. Cyril's Liturgy are used nowadays. The Liturgy used by St. Mark was at first in Greek and then it was later translated into Coptic. The holy Liturgy was learned by heart till 330 A.D. when Pope Athanasius the apostolic put it in writing. St. Cyril I the Great, the 24th Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt made additions to it and wrote it in

11http://www.coptic.net/EncyclopediaCoptica/ 3 4

accessed on 8/27/2012 2:51 PM

2 Fr. Tadros Malaty, Introduction to the Coptic Orthodox Church, (Ottawa: St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, 1987), 9.

http://www.coptic.net/articles/CopticLiturgy.txt accessed on 8/27/2012 2:46 PM http://www.touregypt.net/chiste3.htm accessed on 8/27/2012 2:56 PM 5 http://www.coptic.net/articles/CopticLiturgy.txt accessed on 8/27/2012 2:46 PM 6 Ibid.

its present form.7 This is the Liturgy known as St. Cyril's Liturgy and from which the other two liturgies, referred above, are derived. This Liturgy is one of the oldest liturgies known to the Christian world. Versions of St. Mark's Liturgy exist in Ge'ez, the ancient language of Ethiopia, which ceased to be a living language in the 14th century A.D., but has been retained as the official and liturgical language of the Coptic Church of Ethiopia. The Basilian Liturgy is addressed to God the Father, as is St. Mark's Liturgy (better known as St. Cyril's Liturgy), whereas the Liturgy of St. Gregory is addressed to the Son. The Structure of the Coptic Liturgy The sections and divisions of the three liturgies follow the same order and subject matter as taught by the Lord Jesus Christ: "And as they were eating, Jesus 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 them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.'" [Matthew 26:26-28] This sacrament has also been mentioned by St. Paul: 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; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." [Corinthians I 11:23-26] The Coptic Liturgy has the following main sections, which are also characteristics of almost every Liturgy all over the Christian world: a. Prayer of Thanksgiving b. Prayer of Consecration c. Prayer of Fraction d. Prayer of Communion8 The Structure of the Liturgy of St. Cyril9 (Liturgy of St. Mark) 1. Prayer of Reconciliation 2. Another Prayer of Reconciliation according to St. John (to the father) 3. The Anaphora 4. The Consecration 5. The Prayer of Peace 6. Prayer of The King 7. Prayer of The Patriarch 8. Prayer of The Bishops 9. Prayer of The Priests
7 Pope Shenouda III, The Beholder of God Mark The Evangelist Saint and Martyr, (California: St. Peter & St. Paul Coptic Orthodox

Church, 1995), 78 8 http://www.coptic.net/articles/CopticLiturgy.txt Accessed on 8/27/2012 2:46 PM 9 The Coptic Liturgy of Saint Mark The Apostle, (New Jersey: St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church, 1998)

10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

Prayer of The Place The Prayer of The Present Prayer of Remembering Those Who Asked Us Prayer of The Servant Prayer of The Priesthood Prayer of The Waters, The Plants and The Airs Prayer of The Oblations Commemoration of The saints The Diptych Introduction to The Fraction Fraction for The Father A Fraction for Holy Lent Prayer of Submission to The Father The Prayer of congregation The Profession Psalm 150

Significance of the Coptic Liturgy10 1. The Liturgy is not only the certain hours that the believers spend together in worship. Liturgy is the life that the Church practices, through which she acknowledges her nature and realizes her message and attains her own existence, life and growth in Jesus Christ. 2. The worship is communitarian. Even in personal, the worship is part of the community of the church. 3. The Coptic liturgy is not monopolized by the clergymen. The congregation is highly involved in worship which is highly inclusive. 4. The Churchs worship is one which has an eschatological (heavenly) feel to it i.e. it makes heavenly life near and realizable to the worshipers. 5. The Coptic liturgies are co-related to the dogmas and doctrines of the church. 6. The Coptic liturgies are related to the ascetic life of the church. 7. The Coptic Liturgy declares the Word of God and helps in the experience of the evangelic life. 8. The Coptic Liturgy touches the daily life of the people. There is no separation between the common worship and the actual life of the church. Significance of Liturgy in Todays Context The word Liturgy in classical Greek means a public service undertaken on behalf of the people. 11 (from Liow meaning people & Ergia meaning work). 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.12 1. In todays individualistic world, such a communitarian dimension is an intention of God. Thus liturgy helps in the formation of the People of God as a community.

10 Malaty, op. cit., 168-169 11 Ibid., 167 12 Ibid

2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7.

Ordering of worship is important as God wants all things to be done decently and in order.(I Cor. 14:40). Thus order and ritual is important. Worship helps to experience the joyful evangelic life as a holy one.13 The liturgy has an educational role because of its simplicity and also its theological depth. The liturgy in the Church emphasizes the sanctity of the body and soul together in the Spirit as the body shares with the soul as in worshipping God, whether in congregational, family or private worship.14 Thus the worship yearns to communicate Mans innermost expressions using all of Mans capabilities which common language cannot realize. Not only the whole body, but the entire creation participates in worshiping God and in glorifying the Creator. Liturgy, if practiced meaningfully, touches the life of the believer such that it touches the worship, the faith, the spirituality and also the asceticism.

Thus liturgy is not only mere order, organization or a set of laws that rule the church, but it is in essence a living spirit we receive through ages.15 Conclusion The Coptic Orthodox Church, along with the other ancient churches of Christianity has been using the liturgy as a means to worship since the last 19 centuries. It has influenced the lives of many thousands of people, especially the millions of Coptic martyrs who have stood their faith even in times of persecution. Liturgy is not only the language of the church; it is the life of the church.

Bibliography
http://www.coptic.net/EncyclopediaCoptica (accessed 08 27, 2012). http://www.coptic.net/articles/CopticLiturgy.txt (accessed 08 27, 2012). http://www.touregypt.net/chiste3.htm (accessed 08 27, 2012). III, Pope Shenouda. The Beholder of God Mark The Evangelist Saint and Martyr. California: St. Peter & St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church, 1995. Malaty, Fr. Tadros. Introduction to the Coptic Orthodox Church. Ottawa: St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, 1987. The Coptic Liturgy of Saint Mark The Apostle. New Jersey: St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church, 1998.

13 Ibid., 178 14 Ibid. 15 Ibid., 179