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Armenian Convert at Coptic Church Visit Q

Anastasia1Anastasia1
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Hi,

I've been to a Coptic Church before but not since my chrismation.  I was received by Chrismation and have a baptism certificate from the church marking that event. I was not actually baptized again (originally Lutheran). I live closer to a Coptic church than to an Armenian church. If I attend the Coptic church sometime, do I just stay in my spot during communion? What might be needed to partake in communion at a Coptic church?

Comments

  • qawe
    .
  • mabsootamabsoota
    best thing is to go to vespers and ask the priest there at the end.
    or phone / email the priest first.
    if you go to confession regularly (with us it seems to average once a month although once in 3 months is not so unusual) and take Holy Communion in your home church, then you can take Holy Communion with us too.
    if u can't make contact with the priest before, go up and tell him u r armenian. should be ok,
    they usually check u with the Holy Spirit scanner as opposed to asking for ID.
    beware, the Holy Spirit scanner can pick up poor attendance at confession!
    ;)
    i may have a chance to go to an armenian liturgy early next year, so we can exchange tips!

    we give the Body and Blood separately and never wear shoes to go forward for communion.
    u need a headscarf and if u don't find a lefafa (called corporal in english, but i never heard the word before i was orthodox, it's a little cloth thing u put over yr mouth after taking the Holy Body), then u can use the end of yr scarf. u put it down somewhere before taking the Blood. just follow the crowd.
    it is normal to drink a little water after.

    any other tips anyone can think of?
  • Anastasia1Anastasia1
    The Armenian church does a confession in service, but I am not sure what the parish I am starting at does for confession. I understand that private confession is not as emphasized in the Armenian church after Armenia was part of the (very pro-religon /sarcasm) USSR.

    I was hoping to attend this Sunday, stopping by one service and then showing up a few minutes late for my I suppose regular but that is not happening today-insomnia anyone?. (Hey, it would still have been over 3 hours in church, and plenty of people there run on Armenian time!)

    I actually got a couple scarves like that at my chrismation, one is a lace triangle which is similar to what you use during the Coptic service I believe, and I got one that is more like a shawl-not sure if that is too showy for a Coptic service.  I suppose I could watch what the lady ahead of my does for the mouth part.
  • mabsootamabsoota
    interesting.
    our church values confession very much. if yr priest is not interested in hearing your confession, then maybe you should arrange to go for confession with the coptic priest before taking Holy Communion.

    i tried to do the 2 services in one go once as i was going to a coptic church close to an armenian one, but by the time i had left the coptic church (greeting 30 people on the way out of the door!) the armenian church was well finished. but i got some lovely stuffed vine leaves.
    :)

    i once went to a different orthodox church where i had to go to confession with them before taking Holy Communion. i managed to think of something i did since the last confession, and it was nice to do it a bit differently.
    remember to stick to your church for the regular services (it's very good to spend time in spiritual growth with a stable group of people), and then go out from time to time to visit the other churches.
    may God guide u :)
  • Anastasia1Anastasia1
    [quote author=mabsoota link=topic=13927.msg161453#msg161453 date=1353876992]
    interesting.
    our church values confession very much. if yr priest is not interested in hearing your confession, then maybe you should arrange to go for confession with the coptic priest before taking Holy Communion.

    i tried to do the 2 services in one go once as i was going to a coptic church close to an armenian one, but by the time i had left the coptic church (greeting 30 people on the way out of the door!) the armenian church was well finished. but i got some lovely stuffed vine leaves.
    :)

    i once went to a different orthodox church where i had to go to confession with them before taking Holy Communion. i managed to think of something i did since the last confession, and it was nice to do it a bit differently.
    remember to stick to your church for the regular services (it's very good to spend time in spiritual growth with a stable group of people), and then go out from time to time to visit the other churches.
    may God guide u :)

    Interesting. The local Armenian services start 2 or 2.5 hours after the local Coptic services here.

    The Armenian church is about 40 minutes farther than the Coptic one, so I figure the Coptic one might be good if there is a special event or something on a Sunday. Also, I don't want to come home from Christmas service at 1 or 2 AM and get up at 7 for work the next day.
  • mabsootamabsoota
    then don't go to the coptic church for Christmas!!
    the earliest i ever left church at Christmas was 1.30am.
    it is the second longest service outside of Pascha and Holy Week.

    thank God i was able to take annual leave for jan 7th...
  • qawe
    [quote author=mabsoota link=topic=13927.msg161470#msg161470 date=1353918919]
    then don't go to the coptic church for Christmas!!
    the earliest i ever left church at Christmas was 1.30am.
    it is the second longest service outside of Pascha and Holy Week.

    thank God i was able to take annual leave for jan 7th...


    in the past my Coptic church has finished Christmas liturgy at 10.30pm!
  • Anastasia1Anastasia1
    [quote author=mabsoota link=topic=13927.msg161470#msg161470 date=1353918919]
    then don't go to the coptic church for Christmas!!
    Realisticially, I think I can attend part of the Coptic service, or I can do nothing for Christmas outside of Sundays and December 25 with my family.  I don't remember what all Armenian churches do, but they start a service at midnight, meaning if I stayed for the whole service, I would be home after 3 AM. It's my first Christmas as an Oriental Orthodox, and I don't want to do nothing for it.  :'( Are you telling me that not staying until the very end would be too rude?
  • mabsootamabsoota
    not rude, just u will not be taking communion if u don't stay!
    i have been in churches before where visitors pop in and can't stay till the end.

    i didn't realise yr church started so late. by all means go to the coptic one. maybe it will be qawe's church and will finish early.
    :)
  • Anastasia1Anastasia1
    Ok cool. No problem. :)

    For Sundays it is 2-2.5 hours later. I don't remember what time the Coptic service started for Christmas, but I remember an Armenian Christmas service starting at midnight.

    Is there a name for a Coptic service like Armenians can say Badarak and Catholics can say Mass?
  • mabsootamabsoota
    u can say 'liturgy' (from greek), which is basically the same as 'mass' (from latin).
    in arabic, it is 'uddass', which is the egyptian pronunciation of 'quddas', meaning 'holy".
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