On the Interpretations of the Sunday Tadakia (2)

Blessed Advent!

This year, I’ve received a ton of questions about the melody for the ⲁⲇⲁⲙ ⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲓⲁ during the month of Kiahk. I’ve created a playlist of the sources that have preserved this tune for us. As you listen through the playlist, you’ll hear the voices of HH Pope Kyrillos VI, Cantor Asaad Moussa (the elder cantor of the cathedral before Dn. Fahim Girgis, who, according to Dn. Ibrahim Ayad was actually the chanter at M.Mikhail’s second wedding—little tidbit there for you ), Dn. Fahim Girgis along with Dr. Youssef Mansour, Dn. Ibrahim Ayad, and M.Gad Lewis.

It is important to note something about the structure of the Sunday Tadakia. According to the earliest extant manuscripts, the structure of the Sunday Tadakia during the month of Kiahk, is actually the original standard structure to be used throughout the whole year! Each of the first seven sections of the Sunday Tadakia includes two pieces innate to the Tadakia itself, plus one interpretation, followed by a selection from the gospel of St. Luke (these six selections form the Praise of Mary, Praise of Zacharias, and the Praise of Simeon the Elder, three beautiful scriptural texts considered canticles of the New Testament writings). Thus, the structure of the first section of the Sunday Tadakia should look something like this:

Section 1

Part A

Part B

Interpretation

Gospel Reading

Now, here’s where things get a little tricky. There are multiple sets of interpretations that are written in Coptic that are more theologically apt and are written centuries before the current Arabic ones. Of the several sets, two stand out; each of them having its own distinct refrain as do the Tadakia themselves. Ibn Kabar tells us of the first set which begins with ⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲁϣϫⲱ, and says that it is the “best, and the oldest”. The second set that is somewhat prominent (also present in manuscripts from the 14th century) begins with ⲓⲥϫⲉ ⲁⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ϭⲱⲣⲡ and was composed by a Muallim Youhanna—you’ll notice that the first letter of each piece of the set he wrote spells out his name in Coptic: ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ. The second set written by Muallim Youhanna is understood to be the set of interpretations used during Kiahk, whereas the first set is standard, to be chanted during any time of the year.

These are the names of the interpretations in each set:

Set 1 – Refrain: ⲉⲑⲃⲉ ⲫⲁⲓ ⲧⲉⲛϯⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲉ ⳾ ϩⲱⲥ ⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲙⲁϯϩⲟ ⲙⲡⲉϣⲏⲣⲓ ⳾ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲭⲱ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⳾

1. ⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲁϣϫⲱ

2. ⲛⲑⲟ ⲡⲉ ϯⲕⲩⲃⲱⲧⲟⲥ

3. ⲣⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲛⲓⲥⲟⲫⲟⲥ

4. ⲉⲣⲉ ⲡⲓⲥⲧⲁⲙⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲃ

5. Ϥϭⲟⲥⲓ ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲱⲟⲩ

6. ⲛⲁⲛⲉ ⲡⲉⲥⲑⲟⲓⲛⲟⲩϥⲓ

7. ⲁⲩⲙⲟⲩϯ ⲉⲣⲟ

I’ve recording Set 1 in the Kiahk Melody, here:

Number 7^ should look familiar! That’s because most of us know it as section 9 of the Sunday Tadakia. Turns out it’s not haha It’s actually the interpretation of Section 7 which was displaced by the Kiahk melody known as ϣⲁϣϥ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ (which was also never a part of the tadakia itself)

Set 2 – Refrain: ⲧⲉⲛϯⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲁϥ ϩⲱⲥ ⲛⲟⲩϯ ⳾ ⲧⲉⲛϫⲱ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛϩⲁⲛⲯⲁⲗⲓⲁ ⳾ ϩⲱⲥ ⲣⲱⲙⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲣⲏϯ ⳾ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲧⲉϥⲙⲁⲩ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ ⳾

1. ⲓⲥϫⲉ ⲁⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ϭⲱⲣⲡ

2. ⲱ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲩⲡⲟⲧⲟⲅⲙⲁ

3. ⲁⲣⲉϣⲁⲛ ⲛⲓⲙⲉⲩⲓ ⲕⲱϯ

4. ⲛⲓⲙⲏⲓⲛⲓ ⲉⲛⲁϣⲱⲟⲩ

5. ⲛⲓⲇⲟⲅⲙⲁ ⲛⲁⲡⲁⲥ

6. ⲏⲗⲓⲁⲃ ⲡⲓⲥⲟⲫⲟⲥ

7. ⲥⲟⲗⲥⲉⲗ ⲛⲛⲓⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ

Both of these sets are translated and will be published in the Coptic-English Psalmody soon! Please support our project by your prayers, and if you’re able to donate, please visit: SupportMyServicehttps://supportmyservice.org/coptic-english-psalmody/ We’d really love to complete our funding by the new year and we’re only 4K short! Thank you, and a Merry Christmas to you all and to your families!