Matins Raising of Incense
The first prayer prayed in Vespers/Matins Raising of Incense after Our Father.
What is the Thanksgiving Prayer
The priest chooses one loaf of bread to be the "Lamb." What is the Coptic name for this bread?
Orban
When we are reading from the Praxis, what book of the Bible are we reading from?
Acts
This prayer occurs immediately after the Creed. It asks God to fill our hearts with "heavenly peace" and ends with the command to "Greet one another with a holy kiss."
The Prayer of Reconcilation
This prayer is prayed after the Litanies and before "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal." It is only prayed in Matins.
"Let us praise with the angels saying, Glory to God in the highest..."
How many holes are pierced into the Orban, and what do they represent?
5 holes, the three nails, the spear, and the crown of thorns
How many Pauline Epistles did St. Paul write that are read in the Coptic Church?
14
Who is the liturgy of St. Basil addressed to?
God the Father
What are the three silent litanies that the priest prays while the Gospel is being read?
The Litany of the Peace, Fathers, and Assemblies.
The priest places the Prosferin on the altar after the Prayer of Thanksgiving, what is this in resemblance of?
The tombstone of Christ's tomb, just as Jesus's body was hidden from everyone, the lamb being offered is hidden from us until the Prayer of Reconciliation
In the ancient Church, the Liturgy of the Word was the only part Catechumens (those not yet baptized) could attend. There is a specific "dismissal" that the Deacon used to shout after the Gospel/Sermon to tell them to leave. When was this dismissal point?
The end of the 3 Great Litanies (Peace, Fathers, Assemblies) before the Orthodox Creed.
What is the name of the prayer that asks the Holy Spirit to descend upon the gifts and transform them into the Body and Blood of Christ?
The Epiclesis (Descent of the Holy Spirit)
On Saturday, during Matins, the Litany of the Departed is prayed after the Verses of the Cymbals instead of the Litany of the Sick, Travelers, and Oblations. Why is this?
Saturday is the only full day that Christ was dead in. He gave up his spirit the 9th hour of Good Friday and resurrected from the dead Sunday morning
While washing his hands, the priest recites, "I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about your altar, O Lord .... Where is this verse found in the Bible? (Book and Chapter, specific verse in chapter not required for points)
Psalm 26:6
Before the Gospel is read, the priest and the deacon perform a circuit around the Altar while the Psalm is being chanted. What is the priest carrying, and what does this signify?
He carries the Gospel Book (the Beshara). It signifies that the Gospel is the "Good News" that has been hidden but is now being revealed to the whole world.
After the Institution Narrative, the priest shouts, "Therefore, as we also commemorate..." and lists several events in Christ’s life. To get 500 points, you must name at least four of the five events he mentions in order.
"Therefore, as we also commemorate His Holy Passion, His Resurrection from the dead, His Ascension into the heavens, His sitting at Your right hand, O Father, and His second coming from the heavens, awesome and full of glory; we offer unto You Your gifts from what is Yours, for everything, concerning everything, and in everything."
Near the end of Matins, the priest holds a cross with three lit candles. What do the three candles represent, and why does he face the West while blessing the people with them?
The three candles represent Christ, the Light of the World, and the Holy Trinity. He faces West (toward the people) to symbolize that the Light of the Gospel is being sent out from the Sanctuary to illuminate the darkness of the world.
The priest wraps the Lamb in a silk veil and holds it to his forehead while processed around the altar. This symbolizes what event in the life of Christ?
His presentation in the temple (Simeon the Elder) or His journey to the Cross. Simeon the elder held Christ in his arms and said Lord, now you can let your servant depart in peace.
During the weekdays of Great Lent, the Liturgy of the Word is significantly longer, but it usually ends with a specific time of day for Communion. According to the Coptic Rite, at what hour is the Liturgy of the Word typically completed during a Lenten weekday? Hint: (Think about what extra prayers we add in the Offering of the Lamb as well)
The 12th Hour (Sunset/Vespers time), representing that we have fasted the whole day and are now being fed by the "Bread of Life" at the end of our struggle.
During the "Anaphora," the priest takes the Prospherin (the large veil) and lifts it off the altar with the help of the deacon. What does the "shaking" or fluttering of the veil during its removal represent?
The earthquake that occurred during the Resurrection of Christ when the stone was rolled away.