Father Pijimi St.

Moses
St. Mary and St. Moses Abbey
101 S Vista Dr.
Sandia, TX 78383
pijimi@outlook.com

Saint Athanasius Boarding Seminary

Saint Mary and Saint Moses Abbey, Texas

The Liturgical Rites of the Church of Alexandria

Research Paper

Subject

Liturgical Rites
From the Canons of Athanasius.

Instructor
Dr. Raafat M. Z. Shahaat
raafatmoussa12@gmail.com

October 2015

Outline:
Introduction on the need of the canons of the church
About the canons of Saint Athanasius, the Patriarch
Liturgical canons from Canons of Saint Athanasius the Patriarch
First: Canons that are kept unchanged
Canon 10 is about the ranks of the clergy
canon 28 The garment of the service
Canon 64, 36, and 107 about the offering and the communion
Canon 49 on coming to the church daily
Canons Concerning the reverence of the Holy Altar and the Holy Mysteries
Canon 76, 77, and 78 about the reverence of the Holy altar
Canon 98 about the attention during the readings
Canons regarding celebrating the feasts of martyrs
Canon 91 about the vigil during the feasts of the saints
Second: Canons that were developed during the history of the church
Canon 57 the gathering in the church for the period of the Holy Week
Canon 60 The priests presence in the church
Canon 66 the washing of feet of the congregation
Third: The development of the rite of the washing of feet
Conclusion

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Introduction on the need of the canons of the church

The Coptic Orthodox Church is currently in need to return to the canon laws, that
were set by the fathers of the church, more than any time else in its history. For the first,
since its founding by Saint Marc the evangelist, it has become spread in all six continents.
This was due to the movement of immigration which started after WWII in the 1950s.
Since that time, the Coptic church has expanded to different cultures and to new horizons
unknown to it before.
During such unprecedented changes, it becomes essential for the church to become
more rooted into its rich history and tradition in order to avoid drifting away from the
path which was drawn by Our Lord, received by the apostles, and kept by our fathers.
In this paper we will explore the liturgical canons of Pope Athanasius II (490 - 497),
and examine which of them the church either kept unchanged, developed or if it even
departed from some of them.
About the canons of Saint Athanasius, the Patriarch
Fifteen hundred years ago or more, since Pope Athanasius, the 28th patriarch of
Alexandria, wrote his canons, we need to remind ourselves about his canons which he
wrote as guidelines for the church to follow. These canons have also been attributed by
some to Pope Athanasius the Great, 23rd pope of Alexandria in their Arabic text, Wilhelm
Riedel is of this opinion1, nevertheless he believes that the canons numbers 105-107 are a
subsequent addition. In either cases, whether Pope Athanasius the first or the second is
the author of these canons, their antiquity cannot be disputed.2 Therefore, when we
examine them we learn the early churchs view on the issues that are presented.

For further details read Introduction of Wilhelm Riedel and W. E. Crum, The Canons of Athanasius of Alexandria.,
1904.
2
Ibid.
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Liturgical canons from Canons of Saint Athanasius the Patriarch

In this section we shall explore the canons of Saint Athanasius while sorting them
into different groups: first, the canons that remain unchanged till our days. Secondly,
Canons that were developed during the history of the church.
First: Canons that are kept unchanged
Canon 10 is about the ranks of the clergy. In this canon Pope Athanasius lists the
orders of the clergy of the church, not only the bishop and the priest, but he also lists the
orders of the deacons: full, half, readers, chanters and porters. He resembles their total
number of sevenincluding the ranks of the bishop and the priest to the seven pillars
on which wisdom has built her house (Pro. 9:1) and the seven spirits of God (Rev. 1:4; 3:1;
4:5; 5:6) These are he explains, the seven pillars on which the church stands, about
whom Solomon wrote that Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven
pillars

(Prov. 9:1 NKJV).3

He addresses the sub-deacons in the next canon, number 11,

commanding him to be mindful of the church and those who are entering it and the
reader not to read anything except the Catholic words, lest the people mock the lying
words which are from the copied books, which are not from the breath of God4 but from
the word.
It is noticeable that he gives special attention to the priests clothing in canon 28.
He indicates they must be white and washed even as the prophet Ezekiel ha
ordained.5 (Eze. 44:19)
As for the offering, Pope Athanasius specifies that it should not be from the
remaining from a previous day, but rather bread warm, fresh and whole. (Canon 64)

The Arabic text from Ibid., 1516.

2 Tim. 3:16
5
Wilhelm Riedel and W. E. Crum, The Canons of Athanasius of Alexandria., 31.
4

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In Canon 36 he explains the acceptable reasons for carrying the communion outside of
the church: only for the sick person. He adds in canon 107 that no one shall taste the wine
before the anaphora (liturgy) has ended similarly no one may eat until the first fruit has
been taken. what is offered before the Lord, he explains, shall be strong wine and
bread hot, pure and without blemish.6
In canon 49, he advises those who live in town to come to church every day. Thats
probably an early sign to the custom we have seen in our churches, especially in Egypt,
of people stopping by the church every day on their way to work to say a little prayer
whether there is a mass or not.
Concerning the reverence of the Holy Altar and the Holy Mysteries
Canons 76 and 77 warn against those who despise the Holy Altar, for our God is
a consuming fire, but unlike the fire of the world (Heb. 12: 29 cited from Deut. 4:24) He
insists also that nothing should be left over from the holy communion and as long as the
body and blood of Christ are on the altar the readers should sing in the word of God or
shall repeat the psalms7 (Canon 78)
Pope Athanasius urges the believers to listen in silence to the readings in the
church. In canon 98 he wrote, be silent and hear, O Israel. For Christ our king is wise;
wherefore hear his word in silence and understanding.8
Canons regarding celebrating the feasts of martyrs
Canon 91 tells us that in Pope Athanasius time, 5th century, they used to keep vigil
the whole night in psalm-singing and prayers and holy readings.9 The monks and nuns

Ibid., 69.
Ibid., 49.
8
Ibid., 63.
9
Wilhelm Riedel and W. E. Crum, The Canons of Athanasius of Alexandria.58
7

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are not to leave their monasteries in order to join these feasts as he explains in canon 92
in which he continues to describe the proper manners of the virgins; monks and nuns,
regarding food, drink, and clothing.
Second: Canons that were developed during the history of the church
The prime example for this category are the rites of the Holy Week and especially
the rite for the washing of feet. For instance, we read that, in his canons about the Holy
Week, Pope Athanasius commands the priests to spend the entire holy week and even
sleep in the church. In canon 57, he asks them to gather in the church starting from Friday
at the third hour. Instructing them to watch over the behavior of the people by the help
of the doorkeepers and the deacons to make sure they maintain the reverence of the
church and hear attentively the word of God read to them. He also orders the priests to
fast two days together i.e. eat only every other day. As for the readers they are allowed
eating every day as the people. He instructs the readers to first understand what they say
to the people, insisting that they instruct and teach without grudging, but rather the
more with gladness.10
Their priest should be join the people gathering in the church from the eighth hour
(eq. to 2 pm our time) till the evening when the stars appear. (Canon 60)
We read about the rite of washing of feet in canon 66. In which he indicates that
this rite is practiced only by the bishop to the priests three times per year: at the Paschal
feast and at the feast of Pentecost and at the feast of Baptism on the eleventh of Tubah11
He emphasizes that this is a private event, in the clergy meeting, only priests should be
present during that event. Which indicates that this rite was not administered to the
people.

10
11

Canon 58, Ibid., 39.

Ibid., 43.

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Third: The development of the rite of the washing of feet

Pope Athanasius canons testify that by the end of the 5th century the rite of
washing of feet was not practiced on Holy Thursday as in our modern time, instead it
was practiced three times a year on the feasts of: Resurrection, Pentecost, and Epiphany
only between the bishop and the priests. In this section we will examine how it evolved
till our modern day when its practiced after and together with the rite of sanctification of
the water on three occasions: Epiphany, Holy Thursday, and feast of the apostles.
Two different rites become one: the sanctification of water and the washing of feet
The liturgical history of the church speaks of two different rites that have been
become united; the rite of the sanctification of the water celebrated originally on the
Epiphany feast and the rite of the washing of feet.
The rite of the waters sanctification used to be performed directly on the water of
the river according to El-Maqrizi (15th century), in Les ftes des Coptes p. 322333. The rites of this celebration are written in Ibn-Kabars Elmagmou Elmobarak, the
blessed assembly, under the title the rite for the 11th of Tuba pp. 34-51
The first sign we have of performing the rite of washing of feet on Holy Thursday
as in our days, but in a developed way after the prayer of the sanctification of the water
have been added to it is during the papacy of Pope John III of Samannud (Yoannes the
3rd) the fortieth patriarch between 677-686 A.D.12, who after his release from arrest by the
governor Abd Al-Aziz went directly to the church, and it was Holy Thursday, he started
by washing the feet of the people in mood of celebration. On this occasion the rite was

12

B. Evetts, trans., History of the Patriarchs of the Church of Alexandria III Agatho to Michael I 766, vol. Tome V. Fascicule 1, Patrologia Orientalis, 1910, 1018.
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not developed yet, since this was most likely the first time for this rite to be celebrated on
Holy Thursday.
As for the rite of the Sanctification of the water, it was taken from the feast of
Epiphany and was also adopted on Holy Thursday as preparation for the water for the
washing of feet afterwards.
We know these details from Ibn Kabar, the priest of El-Moalaqa church in the 13th
century. His important Manuscript titled Elmagmou Elmobarak, (the blessed assembly)
includes the rite for the sanctification of the water on the water of the Jordan on the 11th of
Tuba feast of Epiphany in pp. 34-42. We also find the rite of the sanctification of
water on Holy Thursday is found also in the same Elmagmou Elmobarak pp. 42-51. Finally,
the rite for the waters sanctification on the 5th of Abib the feast of the apostles pp.5158, as it was ordained in the 13th century by bishop Peter of El-Bahnasa who established
the rite of the laqan sanctification of the water in the feast of the apostles, as we have
it today. 13

13

112

1307 , A.D 1319, 51.

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At a later date Al-Maqrizi (15th century) wrote the feasts of the Copts in his days.
He mentioned that the rite of the Holy Thursday, was performed three days before the
feast of Resurrection and that the custom was to pray over the water (sanctification of the
water) and to wash the feet of the Christians in imitation to Christ and to learn from his
humility.14

Print-screen of Al-Maqrizi report on Holy Thursday (Arabic with French translation)15

14
15

R. Graffin and F. Nau, Patrologia Orientalis Tomus Decimus, Tomus Decimus:326.

Ibid.

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Conclusion
The Coptic church of Egypt today remains true to its attribute as an apostolic church
abiding by its tradition. Which it kept carefully throughout the centuries. Its liturgical
rites sometimes may evolve and develop, yet the essence remains the same. Perhaps this
is the reason why when we read ancient texts such as Pope Athanasius canon, one can
easily recognize in their description the aspects of the Coptic church of the twenty-first
century.

Bibliography
B. Evetts, trans. History of the Patriarchs of the Church of Alexandria III Agatho to Michael I
766. Vol. Tome V. - Fascicule 1. Patrologia Orientalis, 1910.

R. Graffin, and F. Nau, eds. Patrologia Orientalis Tomus Decimus. Translated by R.

Griveau. Vol. Tomus Decimus. Patrologia Orientalis. Paris, 1915.

Wilhelm Riedel, and W. E. Crum. The Canons of Athanasius of Alexandria., 1904.

112 1307 , A.D 1319.

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