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TheAlexandrian rites are a collection ofritual families anduses ofChristian liturgy employed by threeOriental Orthodox churches (theCoptic Orthodox Church, theEritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and theEthiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church), and by threeEastern Catholic Churches (theCoptic Catholic Church, theEritrean Catholic Church, and theEthiopian Catholic Church).
The Alexandrian rite'sDivine Liturgy contains elements from the liturgies of SaintsMark the Evangelist (who is traditionally regarded as the first bishop ofAlexandria),Basil the Great,Cyril of Alexandria, andGregory of Nazianzus. The Alexandrian rites are sub-grouped into two rites: theCoptic Rite and theGe'ez Rite.
The Coptic Rite is native toEgypt and traditionally uses theCoptic language with a few phrases in Greek. It is used in the Coptic Orthodox Church and theCoptic Catholic Church.Arabic and a number of other modern languages (including English) are also used.[1]
The Ge'ez Rite is native toEthiopia andEritrea and uses theGe'ez language. It is used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo churches, and theEthiopian andEritrean Catholic Churches.[2][3][4]
The mainEucharistic liturgy used by the Coptic Churches is known as theLiturgy of Saint Basil.[5] The termLiturgies of Saint Basil in a Coptic context means not only the soleanaphora with or without the related prayers, but also the general order of the Divine Liturgy in this rite.[6] The termLiturgy of Saint Basil may refer also to the whole Eucharistic Liturgy which in the Coptic Churches has the following structure:[7][8]
TheLiturgy of St Cyril in theCoptic language is the Liturgy of Saint Mark that has been translated fromKoine Greek.[9]
Offertory (orProthesis) is the part of the liturgy in which theSacramental bread (قربانqurbān) andwine (أبركهabarkah) are chosen and placed on the altar. All these rites aremedieval developments.[10]
It begins with the dressing of the priest withvestments and the preparation of the altar, along with prayers of worthiness for the celebrant. At this point is chanted the appropriate hour of theCanonical hours, followed by the washing of the hands with its prayer of worthiness, and by the proclamation of theNicene Creed.[citation needed]
Then takes place the elaborate rite of the choosing of the Lamb: while the congregation sing 41 times theKyrie eleison, the priest checks the wine and chooses among the bread one loaf which will be consecrated (theLamb). The Lamb is cleaned with a napkin and blessed with the priest's thumb wet of wine. Afterwards the priest takes the Lamb in procession around the altar and the deacon follows with the wine and a candle.[5] At the altar, the priest, with appropriate prayers, blesses the Lamb and the wine, places the Lamb on thePaten and pours wine and a few drops of water in thechalice (the chalice is stowed into a wooden box namedark on the altar).[citation needed]
The last part of the offertory resembles ananaphora: after a dialogue, the priest blesses the congregation and proclaims a prayer of thanksgiving, giving thanks to God for his support to humanity, and asking him for a worthy participation to the liturgy. Then comes the prayer of covering, said inaudibly by the priest, which has the form of anepiclesis, asking God to show his face on the gifts, and to change them in order that the bread and wine may became theBody andBlood of Christ. This text might come from an ancient anaphora or simply be a laterHigh Middle Ages creation.[10] The paten and the ark with inside the chalice are here covered with a veil.
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In theLiturgy of the Catechumens the readings from theNew Testament are proclaimed. This portion of the Divine Liturgy was in the ancient times the beginning of theliturgy, and the only part which could be attended by thecatechumens. This part is roughly equivalent to theLiturgy of the Word in the Western rites
It begins with aPenitential Rite in which first the priest prays inaudibly Christ for the forgiveness of sins (The Absolution to the Son) and then all the participants kneel in front of the altar and the celebrant, or the bishop if present, recites a prayer ofabsolution (The Absolution to the Ministers).
The reading from thePauline epistles is preceded by the offering ofincense at the four sides of the altar, at theiconostasis, at the book of theGospel and at the faithful in thenave; in the meantime the faithful sing a hymn toMary and a hymn of intercession. The Pauline epistle is followed by a reading from theCatholic epistles, and by one from theActs of the Apostles. Another offering of incense is conducted (thePraxis Incense), similar to the Pauline incense except that only the first row of the faithful is incensed. A reading from the CopticSynaxarium can follow.
After these readings, theTrisagion is sung three times, each time with a different reference to theIncarnation,Passion,Resurrection, thus addressing the Trisagion to Christ only. After the Trisagion follows alitany, the recital of aPsalm and the singing of theAlleluia, and finally the proclamation of theGospel from the doors of the sanctuary. Thesermon may follow.
The Liturgy of the Faithful is the core of the Divine Liturgy, where are placed the properEucharistic rites.[citation needed]
It begins with the prayer of the Veil,[10] in which the priest offers the liturgical sacrifice to God. The LongLitanies follows, where all pray for the peace, for the ecclesiastic hierarchy and for the congregation. TheNicean Creed is proclaimed, the priest washes his hands three times and sprinkles water on the congregation reciting the Prayer of Reconciliation which is a prayer of worthiness for all who attend the liturgy. Next is theKiss of peace during which the faithful sing theAspasmos Adam hymn, according to the season of the liturgical calendar.
TheAnaphora is conducted.
The Copticanaphora of Saint Basil, even if related and using the sameAntiochene (or"West Syrian") structure,[11] represents a different group from theByzantine, West Syrian andArmenian grouping of anaphoras of Saint Basil. The Coptic version does not derive directly from the latter and has its own peculiarities: its text is more brief, with lessScriptural and allusive enhancements, and it lacks well definedTrinitarian references,[12]: 113 which are typical of other versions and reflect the theology of theFirst Council of Constantinople of 381.
The structure of theBohairic Coptic version used today in the Coptic Churches can be summarized as follow:
The 7th-centurySahidic Coptic version found in 1960[13] shows an earlier and more sober form of the Bohairic text: the manuscript, incomplete in its first part, begins with thePost Sanctus, and is followed by a terseInstitution narrative, by a pithyAnamnesis which simply lists the themes and ends with theoblation. The nextEpiclesis consists only of the prayer to theHoly Spirit to come and manifest the gifts, without any explicit request to change the gifts in the Body and Blood of Christ. The intercessions are shorter and only Mary is named among the saints.[12]: 112
After the anaphora takes place the consignation,[10] i.e. the moistening of the Lamb with some drops of the consecrated Wine, which is show to the worship of the faithful. TheFraction of the consecrated Lamb ensues, during which the priest says a prayer which varies according to theCoptic calendar. All of the congregation stands and prays with open hands theLord's Prayer.
To be prepared for partaking of the Eucharist, the faithful bow while the celebrant says in low voice the prayer of submission, then the priest and the participants offer each other a wish of peace and the priest inaudibly prays theFather for the forgiveness of sins (The Absolution to the Father).
TheElevation is similar to that in theByzantine Rite, with the celebrant who raises the portion of the Lamb engraved with a cross (theispadikon) crying: "The holy things for the holy ones". The priest makes a second consignation and puts gently the ispakidon in the chalice (the commixture),[14] then he recites aloud a Confession of faith. The partaking of the Eucharist follows, first the Body of Christ given to the celebrants, to the deacons and to the faithful who approach the sanctuary without shoes and then the Blood of Christ in the same order.Psalm 150 is sung in the meantime. The distribution of the Eucharist ends with a blessing with thePaten.
The dismissal rites include The Prayer of Laying the Hands and the final blessing.
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