In the last month or so, two of my dearest friends lost family members leading me to look into the Coptic Rite of the funeral. Today, I’d like to share two important points that I discovered. The first is that the ⲃⲁⲧⲟⲥ psalis/doxologies of Lent, ⲡⲓⲙⲁⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ and ⲛⲉⲕⲛⲁⲓ ⲡⲁϭⲟⲓⲥ are an essential part of the …
Month: October 2021
̀While most Coptic faithful know ⲟⲩⲛⲟϥ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ (افرحي يا مريم) as a hymn chanted on Sunday when we find ourselves running early, very few are aware of its origin and purpose, and even fewer read the text properly. Here’s another tidbit from the Coptic-English Psalmody Project! In Bohairic practice, ⲟⲩⲛⲟϥ ⲙⲙⲟ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ is a …
Blessed Sunday, everyone! As encouragement for us to pray the Monday Tadakia (ⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲓⲁ ⲙⲡⲓⲫⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲁⲃⲓⲧ) tomorrow, I’d like to run through another critical translation error (in the early English translation of the Psalmody, now made even worse in/by Coptic Reader) that has significant impact on the theological understanding of our salvation. In doing so, I …
There is immense value in adjusting translations, not only for theological and/or linguistic accuracy, but for musical purposes and proper grammar and syntax. As an example of this, let’s take a deeper look at the current introductory stanzas of several ⲁⲇⲁⲙ hymns, ⲁⲙⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ and ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ϧⲁ ⲛⲓⲗⲁⲟⲥ. Coptic Text: ⲁⲙⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ ⳾ ⲛϯⲧⲣⲓⲁⲥ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ …