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Pauline Epistles (1)

• Are deacons permitted to touch the bottom of the golden censor with their hands, or should they use a cloth to hold it up? Why?
• Are languages other than Coptic acceptable before God for praying Liturgy?
• Are the deacons serving at the altar to light the candles at the start of the Introduction to the Fraction or at the start of the actual Fraction? Why?
• Can you please explain why the congregation bows during the Divine Liturgy?
• Could you please answer my questions concerning the Holy Divine Liturgy? What is the significance of placing the golden censor (shoria) at the right far south end of the altar?
• During Liturgy, the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch and Eretria are prayed for but not those of Armenia and Ethiopia—how come?
• During the Divine Liturgy service, is it true that the acolytes serving at the altar are at one point to use feather fans to fan the offering? If so, when and exactly how are the acolytes supposed to do it? Also where can the appropriate type of fans be purchased or made?
• During the Procession of the Lamb, why does the deacon holding the water flask stand on the priest's left hand side (on the south end of the church)?
• During the procession, of both Matins and Vespers, should the deacon or deacons go around with both the cross and Holy Bible or just the cross? Also during the two processions during the Divine Liturgy, the same question. Please explain why.
• I know in the Coptic Church, we say "Liturgy" instead of "Mass" Could you please explain the difference between the two?
• In Divine Liturgy, particularly during the Raising of Incense, a deacon places the prospharin on the far eastern end of the altar. How many folds is the prospharin supposed to be folded in on the altar?
• In the Commemoration of the Saints in the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, it states that "...this is the command of Your Only-Begotten Son, that we share in the commemoration of Your saints..." Where in the Holy Bible does our Lord Jesus Christ command us to commemorate our saints?
• In the Divine Liturgy, before the Institution Narrative, the priest says: "whereby we were bound and sold on account of our sins, He descended into Hades through the cross…" Then, the congregation responds saying "Amen. We believe." Then the priest continues and says "He rose from the dead on the third day..." Isn't there something missing here? Shouldn't we say "He descended into Hades and took the righteous to Paradise"? Or at least maybe place an asterisk in the Liturgy Book with an explanation below? We have a lot of converts and interested Christians who come to our church. Without the proper understanding, it seems very strange just to say He descended into Hades through the cross without an explanation or another sentence. I would probably be offended if I didn't understand the context and the theology behind it. I realize this probably won't change, but just a thought to explain this to others by references in the Divine Liturgy book to Acts 2, Eph. 4 and 1 Peter 3, a short paragraph to explain the descending to the lower parts.
• In the "Amen, Amen, Amen" response in the Divine Liturgy, we say: "We praise You, we bless You..." What does it mean when we say, "we bless" our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ? How come God the Son is the first to be resurrected from the dead? He raised Himself and at the same time God the Father raised Him as it is said in Acts 13:33.
• In your opinion, what is the most significant/most symbolic part of the Holy Liturgy?
• Is it significantly important to place an ostrich egg over the sanctuary door?
• Regarding the Holy Divine Liturgy service, I have read in a Coptic Orthodox text that during any incense circuit around the altar, whether it be at Vespers, Matins, or the Divine Liturgy, the deacon who accompanies the priest during the circuit is to only make ONE complete round around the altar, while the priest is to make THREE complete rounds, two of which are made without the deacon holding the cross up on the opposite side of him. I read that this is the way it is actually supposed to be done because the deacon only says three responses with the priest (Peace, Fathers, and Assembly), the inaudible response for Peace when he is first standing facing west, the second response when he is facing east for the first time, and the Assembly response when he is facing West again, having completed a full round around the altar. After this point, it is written in the text that the deacon should leave the altar because his responses have ended, while the priest makes two additional rounds around the altar alone, reciting inaudible prayers as he does this. Are these directions correct? Why or why not?
• Should Ni Savev be said during all feasts or only in the presence of a bishop or patriarch? The same question with regards to Pi Ehmot Ghar.
• Should the church congregation bow down fully (prostrate) or just bend their heads after the fraction when the deacon says, "Bow your HEADS to the Lord"?
• We have 14 liturgies in the Eritrean Church, but the Coptic Church has only 3. Why is that? Are we not we supposed to have the same since we are the same?
• What do the paten and chalice symbolize? Do they change meaning as the Divine Liturgy service progresses?
• What exactly is the significance of the deacon's standing before the altar holding a lit candle during Holy Communion?
• What is meant by, "a mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise"?
• What is the significance of stepping into the sanctuary right foot first and exiting backwards left foot first?
• What is the significance of the priest sprinkling water over the congregation at the end of the liturgy service?
• What is your opinion on the idea of having a separate “Children’s Liturgy” for young kids to attend a Liturgy accessible to their age? I am concerned that this seemingly harmless idea could further evolve in the future to scary things like a “Teen Liturgy” or “Youth Liturgy."
• When are the deacons to blow out the candles after the second lighting, for the Institution Prayer? Is it after the Invocation of the Holy Spirit?
• When exactly are the deacons in the altar to blow out their candles after the Procession of the Lamb? Is it right after the priest hands over the wine container (emptied and held upside down) to the deacon?
• When was the commemoration of saints added to the Divine Liturgy, and who added this to our liturgical services?
• Why do people light the candles placed below the icons, at the back of the church?
• Why do the deacons place their tunics (tunyas) over their left arm?
• Why do we not mention the names of the Armenian & Indian Popes in the Fathers' Litany in the Divine Liturgy?
• Why do we sometimes stand during the Divine Liturgy and other times sit down?
• Why does every liturgy have a reading from the Book of Acts?
• Why does the priest anoint the holy bread with water during the procession of the Lamb?
• Why is the Liturgy of St. Cyril "backwards," meaning that the prayers of the St. Basil's Liturgy are in the beginning, but in the Liturgy of St. Cyril, they are toward the end?
• Why must the priest pray over the deacons' tunyas before they wear them?