In this post I will share with you a common hymnology heritage between the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church (byzantine rite). I find both rites equally fascinating, and regardless of the differences, I want to stress on the common grounds that both churches share, not only in hymnology, but more importantly in dogma and beliefs. Through common grounds and communication, I believe that a reconciliation is attainable and is not a far fetched dream.
I am not an expert by any means in history, and I don’t know how we share this heritage despite the isolation for 1500 years, but I am sure that some of these hymns are common to both rites even before the schism, and others were adopted more recently, which gives an insight of mutual communication after the schism. These communication efforts almost resulted in a union in the 1800′s if I am not mistaken. I pray that I live to the day when I see the Oriental Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox church in full communion and unity, God willing.
And now let’s indulge in the beauty of our hymns that are after all made to praise our Lord in a very profound and mystical ways:
The Trisagion
(Τρισάγιον)
Christ is Risen
(Χριστός ανέστη)
When the stone was sealed by the Jews
(Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος)
We, the believers, praise and worship the Word
(Τον συναναρχον λογον)
The Virgin today
(Η Παρθένος σήμερον)
Very cool. Do Coptic Orthodox use the Resurrection troparia (When the stone was sealed/We, the believers, praise and worship the Word, etc)?
Or rather, I should say, all of the standard 10 the EO use?
Oh, I thought that there were only 8 resurrection troparia sung in the 8 tones. I am mistaken then..
The answer to your question is no, we only have the first and the fifth troparia mentioned above.
They are sung _ in addition to “Christ is risen”_ in the procession done on Easter eve, and then during the holy fifties in the liturgies.
Have a blessed Pentecost !!
Um… I could be mistaken, myself. Maybe there are eight.
what are the Holy Fifties?
These are the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost.