Coptic Hymns of the Holy Fifty and the Procession of the Anastasis

Christ is risen!

Today, I have to admit to you all that I grieve the state of the Coptic Church with respect to the lack of understanding that afflicts our people, even our chanters and clergy, of our liturgical rites. Each and ever year, the Holy Fifty Days, which should be a time of utmost joy and gladness celebrating the Anastasis of the LORD, remind me of how much work needs to be done in order to revive, and restore our proper liturgical order. As a result, I write this post today to educate myself and our people on what the order of the hymns and the procession of the Anastasis should entail.

This is the typical order of the Liturgy of the Word in the Bohairic Coptic Rite:

Prayer of Incense for the Epistle of St. Paul (ⲫϯ ⲡⲓⲛⲓϣϯ)

Hymns of Incense of the Epistle of St. Paul (ⲛⲑⲟ ⲡⲉ ϯϣⲟⲩⲣⲏ or ⲧⲁⲓϣⲟⲩⲣⲏ)

Prayer of Confession of the People (ⲫϯ ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛϯⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲁ)

Seating of the Bishop/The Prologue (ⲉⲩⲗⲟⲅⲏⲥⲁⲧⲉ ⳾ ⲡⲓϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲅⲁⲣ ⳾ ϯⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⳾ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ ⲉⲥⲉϣⲱⲡⲓ etc.)

Prayer of Knowledge for the People (ⲡ⳪ ⲛⲧⲉ ϯⲅⲛⲱⲥⲓⲥ)

Epistle of St. Paul (ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲫⲃⲱⲕ — Notice the Coptic Rite always begins with the introduction to the Epistle to the Romans, even when it reads any other epistle)

Prayer of the Catholic Epistle (ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ ⲡⲉⲛⲛⲟⲩϯ)

The Catholic Epistle (ⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲛ)

Prayer of the Incense of the Acts of the Apostles (ⲫϯ ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓϭⲗⲓⲗ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲁⲃⲣⲁⲁⲙ)

The Hymns of Incense of the Acts (ϣⲁⲣⲉ ⲫϯ or ⲫⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲁϥⲉⲛϥ)

The Acts of the Apostles (ⲡⲣⲁⲝⲓⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲛⲓⲟϯ ⲛ̀ⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ)

The Hymns of the Season/Feast/Occasion: 1) ⲧⲣⲟⲡⲁⲣⲓⲁ (e.g. ⲡⲉⲕ︦ⲛ︦ⲁ︦ ⲉ︦ⲑ︦ⲩ︦ on Pentecost) 2) ⲃⲱϩⲉⲙ/ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲗⲉⲝ (e.g. ⲡⲓϫⲓⲛⲙⲓⲥⲓ ⳾ ⲅⲉⲛⲉⲑⲗⲓⲟⲛ on Nativity or ⲡⲓⲡ︦ⲛ︦ⲁ︦ ⳾ ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲓ on Pentecost etc.)

The Trisagion (ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲟ ⲑⲉⲟⲥ)

A Hymn of Incense prior to the Gospel (ⲫⲛⲁⲩ ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲙⲟⲩ) or its Bohairic counterpart (which we know as ⲡⲁϭⲟⲓⲥ) Yes, the placement is after the trisagion not before it

Prayer for the Gospel (ⲫⲛⲏⲃ ⲡ⳪ … ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥϫⲟⲥ or ⲫⲛⲏⲃ ⲡ⳪ ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥⲟⲩⲱⲣⲡ)

Chanting of the Psalm (ⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ ⲧⲱ ⲇⲁⲩⲓⲇ ϫⲱ ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ)

Procession of the Gospel (Tawwaf)

Reading of the Gospel (ⲥⲧⲁⲑⲏⲧⲉ ⳾ ϥⲥⲙⲁⲣⲱⲟⲩⲧ ⳾ ⲡⲉⲛ⳪

Response to the Gospel (varies depending on Gospel reading)

Prayers after the Gospel (ⲡⲓⲣⲉϥⲱⲟⲩⲛϩⲏⲧ)

Prayers for the Sacrifice (known as prayers of the veil—interestingly they speak nothing of the veil, but have more to do with the liturgical sacrifice and ministry)

Prayer for Peace of the Church (ⲧϩⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ)

Prayer for the Hierarchy/Fathers (ⲛⲉⲛⲓⲟϯ)

Prayer for the Assemblies (ⲛⲉⲛϫⲓⲛⲑⲱⲟⲩϯ)

The Orthodox Creed (ⲉⲛ ⲥⲟⲫⲓⲁ ⳾ ⲧⲉⲛⲛⲁϩϯ)

Prayer of Reconciliation (ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲡⲓⲛⲓϣϯ or ⲥϭⲟⲥⲓ etc.)

Kiss of Peace (ⲁⲥⲡⲁⲍⲉⲥⲑⲁⲓ ⳾ ⲡ︦ⲭ︦ⲥ︦ ⲡⲉⲛⲥ︦ⲱ︦ⲣ︦)

Notice that I’ve left the Synaxarium out of this order as it is NOT part of the Liturgy of the Word but part of the veneration services after Vespers or Matins. Also note, most of the prayers above are prayed by the priest inaudibly to my deep dismay and pain, as they are all supposed to prayed aloud in their origin. If you have not heard of these prayers, PLEASE FIND THEM IN THE OLD EUCHOLOGIONS (NOT COPTIC READER) AND READ THEM. In addition, the Liturgy of the Word does not end with the reading of the gospel as is mistakenly understood now, but concludes with all the other litanies I’ve mentioned. The Anaphora only begins at the command of the deacon, “Offer!” followed by our response, “A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise”

Having these basics as our foundation, let’s discuss what actually should occur during the Paschal Feast/Anastasis and the Holy Fifty Days!

Given that the Paschal Feast includes its own hymns and procession, they take their respective place within the Liturgy of the Word, directly after the reading of the Acts of the Apostles.

So what is/are the hymn(s) of the resurrection?

There are multiple ⲃⲱϩⲉⲙ and ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲗⲉⲝ for the Holy Fifty:

1) ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲓⲭⲟⲣⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲓⲭⲟⲣⲟⲥ (For the Feast and the Fifty) For more information about this specific hymn you can find that here: 1) https://www.facebook.com/girgisdanny/posts/10156054042991610 2) https://www.facebook.com/girgisdanny/videos/10156965616311610

2) ⲑⲱⲙⲁⲥ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲧⲡ ⳾ ⲁⲛⲓ ⲧⲉⲕϫⲓϫ (For Thomas Sunday)

3) ⲁⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲛⲁϫⲓϫ ⳾ ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ ⲫⲛⲏⲃ (For the Fifty)

4) ⲁϥⲣⲉⲕ ⲧⲫⲉ ⳾ ⲙⲁⲣⲟⲩⲟⲩⲛⲟϥ (For the Ascension)

Notice that all four of these hymns have the same structure and the ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲗⲉⲝ are all in the same tune, including a refrain between each ⲃⲁⲧⲟⲥ stanza.

There are also other ⲃⲱϩⲉⲙ and/or ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲗⲉⲝ that do not fit the typical Fifty’s structure but have also been documented:

5) ⲁⲓⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲍ︦ ⲛⲥⲛⲟϥ ⳾ ⲁⲓⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲡⲥⲛⲟϥ

6) ϯⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲟⲩⲙⲉⲥⲓⲧⲏⲥ (ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲗⲉⲝ only)

7) ⲅ︦ ⲛⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲧϫⲏⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ (ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲗⲉⲝ only)

I will share rough draft translations of these hymns in the comments

Now then, after the seasonal hymn is chanted, the procession of the Anastasis begins. The hymn of the procession is the Paschal Troparion: ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ. Given that this hymn is a Troparion it follows the typical structure of the Troparia wherein one piece is chanted followed by ⲇⲟⲝⲁ ⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓ, then a second piece is chanted followed by ⲕⲉ ⲛⲩⲛ, and finally a third piece is chanted without any response. (If this sounds familiar, it should! Those things we call “litanies” in our ⲁϫⲡⲓⲁ are actually Troparia, not litanies.) So the proper structure of the hymn ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ is actually:

Ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ ⲉⲕ ⲛⲉⲕⲣⲱⲛ ⳾ ⲑⲁⲛⲁⲧⲱ ⲑⲁⲛⲁⲧⲟⲛ ⲡⲁⲧⲏⲥⲁⲥ ⳾ ⲕⲉ ⲧⲟⲓⲥ ⲉⲛ ⲧⲟⲓⲥ ⲙⲛⲏⲙⲁⲥⲓ ⳾ ⲍⲱⲏⲛ ⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥⲁⲙⲉⲛⲟⲥ ⳾

ⲇⲟⲝⲁ ⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓ ⲕⲁⲓ ⲩⲓⲱ ⲕⲁⲓ ⲁⲅⲓⲱ ⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁⲧⲓ

ⲕⲁⲓ ⲛⲩⲛ ⲕⲁⲓ ⲁⲉⲓ ⲕⲁⲓ ⲉⲓⲥ ⲧⲟⲩⲥ ⲁⲓⲱⲛⲁⲥ ⲧⲱⲛ ⲁⲓⲱⲛⲱⲛ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ

Ⲡⲭ︦ⲥ︦ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲏⲉⲑⲙⲱⲟⲩⲧ ⳾ ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥⲙⲟⲩ ⲁϥϩⲱⲙⲓ ⲉϫⲉⲛ ⲫⲙⲟⲩ ⳾ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲏⲉⲧⲭⲏ ϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲓⲙϩⲁⲩ ⳾ ⲁϥⲉⲣϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲱⲛϧ ⲛ̀ⲉⲛⲉϩ ⳾

(If I’m being technical, what should occur is that ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ is chanted both times while processing and that ⲡⲭⲥ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ is chanted as we return to our seats after the procession.)

This is what it should sound like: https://soundcloud.com/dg920/sets/coptic-paschal-troparion

This should make sense to all you chanters out there who have stumbled or have heard someone stumble in ⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁⲧⲓ. It’s because its the conclusion of the section and should be followed by ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ again, not jump into ⲕⲁⲓ ⲛⲩⲛ. Also, this should explain why you sing ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ and then ⲡⲭⲥ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ in the same tune maybe 15 minutes later. Technically, they are one hymn. Another note, the Coptic Rite NEVER uses recitative hymns during processions: if you look at any processions throughout our liturgical calendar, they are all either melisma or vocalise (e.g. ⲛⲓⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⳾ ϯⲅⲁⲗⲓⲗⲉⲁ ⳾ ⲉⲩⲗⲟⲅⲏⲙⲉⲛⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⳾ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⳾ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩⲉϩ ⲛⲥⲱⲕ etc.) One more thing, the Procession of the Anastasis should be performed IN ITS ENTIRETY ALL 50 DAYS. The Procession is a declaration of the Anastasis of the LORD. It has nothing to do with the Ascension and should not cease to occur or shift into the altar or whatever some parishes do after the Ascension. If it were the case, we would call the season the Holy Forty, but we don’t!

So how did we end up where we are now?

First, because the hymn ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲓⲭⲟⲣⲟⲥ is quite long (as seen in linked video above), an Arabic contemplation was written on it. In the late 19th century, Hegumen Philotheos Ibrahim Boghdady wrote the Arabic poem, “يا كل الصفوف” (Ya Kol Al-Sofūf). It was then attuned by Cantor Mikhail Girgis Ghabrial Al-Batanouny and spread throughout the churches in Egypt. This has now unfortunately taken precedence over the original hymn and even this poem is never chanted in its entirety. As a result, only two pieces (out of nine) of the original hymn ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲓⲭⲟⲣⲟⲥ are chanted—if at all: ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲓⲭⲟⲣⲟⲥ (known as Al-Hegab) and ⲱ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲁⲓ (Yes it is ⲱ ⲛⲈⲙ ⲛⲁⲓ and not ⲛⲒⲙ ⲛⲁⲓ— we aren’t asking what the symphonies are since the entire paralex of the hymn explains to us what they are! The expression Ⲱ ⲚⲈⲘ is a means of ascribing beauty and magnitude, not questioning identity.) In current practice, after ⲱ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲁⲓ is chanted, we say approximately 3 or 4 stanzas of the Arabic poem.

Second, we arrive at this thing we call the “Re-enactment”. THIS WAS NEVER A RITE IN THE COPTIC CHURCH. It came in at the hands of Fr. Philotheos as well and is taken from the Byzantine Rite of Paschal Matins. In its proper context, the rite itself is beautiful and I encourage you all to watch it performed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. However, it is not intrinsic to the Coptic Rite and makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. There are no services in the Coptic Rite for which we turn off the lights and start what we call “the play”. Additionally, by that point in the liturgy, we’ve already said that Christ has risen approximately a hundred times, beginning as far back as Holy Thursday, if we aren’t counting the priests litanies throughout the week…Moreover, if anyone is to proclaim the risen LORD, it surely isn’t two chanters who have most likely argued for an entire month prior about who and how the play is going to be said; it should come from the High Priest himself! And finally, we have no rites in our Coptic tradition that requiring banging of any kind, or random performances of women dressed in white singing random popular music, no strobe lights or smoke machines, and certainly no distracting laser light shows! The Coptic Rite is a simple one which reflects the SANCTITY and STILLNESS of the early fathers, martyrs, monastics, and anchorites whose traditions we OUGHT TO KEEP UNTOUCHED. There were multiple bishops in the last century that refused to allow this practice into their dioceses. While this play has become such a popular event on the Anastasis feast, I fear and grieve the detriment it has done to our people and the tainted liturgical understanding it brings along.

Third, after the lights come back blaring, we sing ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ and then midway through our procession, we begin singing multiple Greek hymns:

1) ⲧⲟⲛ ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲛⲁⲣⲭⲟⲛ ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲛ

2) ⲧⲟⲩ ⲗⲓⲑⲟⲩ

3) ⲧⲏⲛ ⲁⲛⲁⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲛ

Of these three hymns, the only one which has developed its own authentic Coptic tune is the third, ⲧⲏⲛ ⲁⲛⲁⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲛ (recorded by Cantor Habib Hanna Al-Mirahem and subsequently taught by Dn. Ibrahim Ayad). The first two are taken almost exactly from the Greek renditions; in fact, if you were to listen to Cantor Mikhail’s recording of ⲧⲟⲛ ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲛⲁⲣⲭⲟⲛ ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲛ, it aligns more with the origin than it does to our current rendition; here’s the link: https://app.box.com/s/txqf66lyp3pisxqo9ehl2tb37bxdbn3b In some cases, parishes also chant a “short” ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ which is also nothing more than an extrapolation and Coptic adaptation of the Greek version of the hymn. What pains me is not that we’ve taken hymns from other jurisdictions; quite frankly these hymns are beautiful. What breaks my heart is our complete disdain for our own tradition, and our eagerness to taken on whatever else is out there, just for the sake of being “up to date with the times”. A hundred years ago, it was taking from the Greeks or more accurately the Melkites; nowadays, its the Protestant milieu. All in all, it’s the same problem: COPTS, you MUST VALUE your OWN tradition. You must question your practices and the reason behind them. You must invest in your liturgical prayer and participation! Otherwise, everything we do is USELESS.

To summarize and clarify, here is a summary of what is currently done vs. what should be done, throughout EVERY DAY OF THE FIFTY—from the Feast to the Pentecost

Current:

1) ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲓⲭⲟⲣⲟⲥ (usually only ⲱ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲁⲓ if at all)

2) Ya Kol Al-Sofūf

3) Enactment (on the Feast only—even though ritually, all fifty days are considered feasts…go figure)

4) ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ ⳾ ⲇⲟⲝⲁ ⳾ ⲕⲁⲓ ⲛⲩⲛ ⳾

5) Short Greek ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ ⳾ ⲇⲟⲝⲁ ⳾ ⲕⲁⲓ ⲛⲩⲛ

6) ⲧⲟⲛ ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲛⲁⲣⲭⲟⲛ ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲛ

7) ⲧⲟⲩ ⲗⲓⲑⲟⲩ (yes, it’s ⲗⲓⲑⲟⲩ not ⲗⲓⲑⲟⲩⲥ as in CR)

8) ⲧⲏⲛ ⲁⲛⲁⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲛ

9) ⲡⲭⲥ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ

10) ⲡⲁϭⲟⲓⲥ

11) ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ

Proper:

1) Appropriate hymn for the season/day: ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲓⲭⲟⲣⲟⲥ or one of the others mentioned, followed by Ya Kol Al-Sofūf if necessary.

2) Paschal Troparion in the form: ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲇⲟⲝⲁ⳾ ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲕⲁⲓ ⲛⲩⲛ ⳾ ⲡⲭⲥ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ, while processing around the church.

If the Greek hymns are to be chanted, they should be chanted after the Troparion in its proper form, not cutting into it to squeeze them all in.

3) The Trisagion and ⲡⲁϭⲟⲓⲥ (Here is an Alexandrian rendition of the trisagion followed by ⲡⲁϭⲟⲓⲥ recorded in the last century by Mr. Sobhy Kolta: https://app.box.com/s/55cteq7n9iggwfrepnx8pvfykhf7koem)

Photos:

1) Ordo of the Patriarchate (1444 AD) – Order of the Feast of the Anastasis: ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ chanted on all days of the Holy Fifty, Sundays and Weekdays (indicating the procession is done, given that the hymn itself is that of a procession).

2) Ordo of the Patriarchate (1444 AD) – Order of Thomas/New Sunday: mentions the hymn ⲑⲱⲙⲁⲥ and its paralex ⲁⲛⲓ ⲧⲉⲕϫⲓϫ followed by the Procession of the Anastasis, then by ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ, and then ⲡⲁϭⲟⲓⲥ

3) Ordo of the Patriarchate (1444 AD) – Order of the Pentecost mentioning the order of the procession during Matins.

4) CM.LIT.75 (1350 AD) – The Order of the Feast of the Anastasis with specific description of the procession.

5-7) Ordo of St Anthony’s Monastery – Thomas Sunday hymn and then the procession followed by ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ and then ⲡⲁϭⲟⲓⲥ, followed by other ⲃⲱϩⲉⲙ and ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲗⲉⲝ for the 50s.