by Ed Rizkalla
Christians all over the world, including the Christians of Egypt, the Copts, are observing the “Advent season”, or as the Copts call it in Arabic (الصيام الصغير), the “Short Fasting”. It is a great time of spiritual renewal, rejuvenation, and growth as Christians await the arrival of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior of all the world. The English word Advent comes from the Latin word “Adentus” for the Greek word “Parousia”, which usually refers to the Second coming of the Lord.
This is a reminder, for all the believers at all times that Christmas, that the birth of the Messiah in fulfillment of the promises of God and the prophecies of the Old Testament, is also an affirmation of our belief that we wait for our Lord second coming in glory to judge all the living and the dead.
The Copts observe the Advent by fasting, prayers, and offering thanks and praise to God for his manifest mercy, care and love for mankind. The Coptic Advent praises are called the “Praises of the Coptic month of Chiok or Kiahk”. These praises were originally written in Coptic, the last script of the Egyptian language. Over the years, these praises were translated into Arabic, and over the past 50 years or so, has also been translated into English and other languages for use by the Copts who emigrated from Egypt to countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom and other countries of the EU.
The “Chiok Praises” are prayers of thanksgiving and adoration for the ONE Triune God of all creation. They include psalms, hymns, canticles, and hymns of glorification for Saint Mary, the mother of God. These prayers are recited to the tunes of Coptic music using traditional instruments such as the cymbals, and modern musical instruments such as the piano and string instruments. These prayers have a very special place in the hearts of the Copts, as they await the arrival of Christ.
Most of these praises were written in the original Coptic in prose, however some have been also written as poems, and some use a style in between prose and poetry called “orational style”. Some hymns also tend to mix two or more of these literary styles. By way of example, the melodious “Sunday Psali for the Lord Jesus Christ” is written in a poetic form, in stanzas of four lines, each ending with the verse “My Lord Jesus Christ help me”, thus creating the rhyme of the poem e.g.
“Tekmetouro Panou]@ oumetouro `n`eneh@ Pa=o=c I=y=c P=,=c@ `aribo`y;in `eroi.
...Vyet`wli `m`vnobi@ `nte pikocmoc nai nyi@ Pa=o=c I=y=c P=,=c@ `aribo`y;in `eroi.”
“Tekmetouro Panoti: oumetouro enehneh: Pashios Isus Pi Chritsos: Ah rivo eethin eh roi…
Phietawli emephnovi: ente pi cosmos nahi nee: Pashios Isus Pi Chritsos: Ah rivo eethin eh roi.”
translated to “Your kingdom O my God: is an eternal kingdom: My Lord Jesus Christ: help me:…
You who carry: the sins of the world have mercy upon me: My Lord Jesus Christ: help me:”
One of the writer’s favorite Coptic hymns of the season is “Rashe ne o ti Theotokos” or “Rejoice O Mother of God”. In my view it truly reflects the joy and hope of the believers at Christmas. An excerpt of this hymn is as follows:
“We rejoice forever, indeed, and also hope.
Rejoice, O you vine, that is ripe and blossoming.
My heart is glad, for this my tongue is joyful.
The dew, the rain, and the joy are due to your name.”
Yes indeed as we observe the Advent and celebrate Christmas and the New Year, we rejoice forever and also hope. You all have a blessed Christmas, and a happy and prosperous New Year.
The peace of the Lord be with you all. Irene Passe.