Pascha Week

Unknown

I love Pascha week, I depend on it to, just knowing that it isn't that far away anymore, 55 days is nothing, but Pascha week is painful, sad, makes you remember all what Christ did just for you, he brought you into this world, he's amazing. I see we all forget about him, but especially during Pascha week, we remember him and the torture and suffering he went through, the crown of thorns, the whips, just realizing that he was human to show us the way is truly sincere and passionate, just wondering what is your favorite part of Pascha week, what hymns do you like, what songs do you like etc!! I certainly love Good Friday and marahmak ya elahy.. you can hear it on Track 9 at:

http://www.coptichymns.net/modules.php?name=Coptic_Media&op=modload&file=index&p=Spiritual Songs/English Songs/Diocese of Los Angeles Coptic Club CD English Songs

Forever,
Coptic Servent

abflab91

Pope Shenouda Says that the Holiest fast is the lent, the hoiest part of the lent is Passion week, the holiest day in Passion week is Good Friday and the hoiest part of Good Friday is the 12th hour. Personally i reckon the Holiest part of Good Friday is the ninth hour, but my favourite hymn from Good Friday is Golotha from the 12th Hour.

I also really do depend on Passion Week, but this year i know isnt going to be as good as last year since last year i didnt have school during Passion week but unfortunatelt this year i do

Amoussa01

Golgotha is very beautiful. The sad pauline, praxis, agios and omonogenees are also really beautiful. For my favorite hymn though, that would have to be pekethronos. It is by far the most beautiful because of its amazing tune and wonderful words. As for bright saturday....anok pe pikoogi is really awesome!

GB
Tony

minatasgeel

I wouldn't say it's "Sad", but it is very spiritual and touching. In fact if you don't feel being with God during that week, you wont any other time.

As for hymns, i love Praxeonton, i even though i don't know it by heart.
I also LOVE the time where we do the procession in good friday even thoo all ur saying is Kerie Leison in the normal long tune.....we don't even use any mics and you can feel the whole church shaking. this also goes for the last time saying thook te ti gom, where there is a chorus inside the altar and the other is outside. So amazing.....

jydeacon

I agree with all of you guys, Pascha is the absolute best time of the year. I think what makes it so sweet is that it only lasts a week. I love all the hymns of pascha, to name a few i love Pekethronos of course(avechnon too cause its same tune haha) Ethve ti, Ti-epestoli, Agios, Omonogenis, Taishori and Golgotha for sure. Basically all of them ;D

sleepymusician

Pascha week is the week that I wait for every year and once it's over I feel this great sense of loss. I absolutely LOVE this time of year because Lent is amazing to me, and I love Easter, and then Pentecost is right after that, but during Pascha week, I feel that the connection between myself and God and the church are so strong and once the week is over, I have to wait till the following year to experience it again. Don't get me wrong, I don't wait till Pascha week just to go to church, but there's a special feeling that comes just from that week. Absolutely love it.

Sleepy

coptic pharoah

I was listening to a sermon yesterday and i think it said that passion week should be a happy time because we were saved.      i checked and couldn't find it so i can't comfirm wat i said... that is wat i remember i heared

Amoussa01

That is true that we should be happy but it also means that we commemorate what Christ did for us; the physical pains he had to suffer on our behalf. So in pascha, we are re-living what had happened through our rituals and hymns/readings. This causes one to feel guilt and depression, but the good kind of depression! The kind that makes us realize that we are sinners and that God chose to send his Only-Begotten Son as a sacrifice on our behalf. I mean how often do we betray Christ? How often do we ignore what he gave us and turn to sin? It is necessary to contemplate on the physical and mental torment that Christ had underwent in order for us to better understand how much God had to give up in order to save us.

GB
Tony

minatasgeel

great example of happiness and sadness in the same time is how the rite is on Bright Saturday. the readings are read half in etribi tune and half festive tune. my most fevorable gospel reading during the year.

p

One of the best videos of Pascha that I have ever seen: The Coptic Orthodox Holy Pascha. Even though it is 50 minutes long, it is pretty good.

ilovesaintmark

Unfortunately, it is using copyrighted material without permission.  I believe His Holiness had very strong comments about the issue of copyright infringement.

I guess it takes away from the authenticity and credibility of the offering.

I'm not an attorney, but I am very sensitive about this issue.

ilovesaintmark

I also think it is quite improper and distracting to have audiovisuals during the Great Friday services, i.e., video presentations of the films (Passion of the Christ, King of Kings, etc.).  I really do not want to be thinking or visualizing anything except the sanctity of the icons and the Divine Presence in the Services.  I do not think that Max Von Sidow or Mel Gibson are any personifications of that ambiance.


In terms of chant:  I am overthrown in my being when I hear Omonogenees (chanted nicely of course).

ophadece

Dear ilovesaintmark,
Thank you for backing up my argument about presentations in the church. I am against it in general and not just in the Holy Week (I hope that you don't start disagreeing now :))
I agree too with minagir; it is not a "sad" week, but rather a deeply spiritual and thought- and repentance-provoking week I guess. May the blessings come to us in it.
God bless you all and pray for us a lot

minatasgeel

[quote author=ophadece link=topic=6364.msg84030#msg84030 date=1205930158]
Dear ilovesaintmark,
Thank you for backing up my argument about presentations in the church. I am against it in general and not just in the Holy Week (I hope that you don't start disagreeing now :))
I agree too with minagir; it is not a "sad" week, but rather a deeply spiritual and thought- and repentance-provoking week I guess. May the blessings come to us in it.
God bless you all and pray for us a lot


am not gonna say anything about presentations...... ::)

ilovesaintmark

Ophadece,

To be very exact, just to be pacific (specific), all audiovisuals.

We are supposed to be going to church not a dramatic reading, or theater production.  I hear that in Egypt that they have films running during the middle of the Paschal services, to try to give a visual of the readings.  You've got to be kidding.  It is, yet again, an infiltration of Protest-ant 'let's be happy and theatrical about it'.  Worship is a very serious time, and requires concentration, not the constant distractions.

minatasgeel

[quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=6364.msg84036#msg84036 date=1205944253]
Ophadece,

To be very exact, just to be pacific (specific), all audiovisuals.

We are supposed to be going to church not a dramatic reading, or theater production.  I hear that in Egypt that they have films running during the middle of the Paschal services, to try to give a visual of the readings.  You've got to be kidding.  It is, yet again, an infiltration of Protest-ant 'let's be happy and theatrical about it'.  Worship is a very serious time, and requires concentration, not the constant distractions.


if this is within church than it is fully wrong.

I remember that when i was in Egypt we used to shut out TVs for the whole week and all we had were holy week tapes of the services.

jydeacon

[quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=6364.msg84036#msg84036 date=1205944253]
Ophadece,

To be very exact, just to be pacific (specific), all audiovisuals.

We are supposed to be going to church not a dramatic reading, or theater production.  I hear that in Egypt that they have films running during the middle of the Paschal services, to try to give a visual of the readings.  You've got to be kidding.  It is, yet again, an infiltration of Protest-ant 'let's be happy and theatrical about it'.  Worship is a very serious time, and requires concentration, not the constant distractions.

I agree with you but i have never seen this happen ever and i don't believe that it could happen, especially while a priest is present i don't know where you heard this but i don't believe it

ophadece

Dear minagir, and jydeacon,
Yes it does happen in Egypt. I just left Egypt about four years ago (quite recently as compared to you both), and I saw it in different churches. And yes priests in Egypt are modernised now, and like things which attract the youth, and they consider that to be on of these methods.
Thank you ilovesaintmark. How many times I argued with people about the fact that ideally even kholagies are not so "appropriate", because I couldn't have put it better than the way you did; we don't go to church as readers or on-screen watchers. May God grant us the true spirit of prayer and contemplation during these very deep prayers and pleadings...
God bless you all and pray for us a lot

ilovesaintmark

Unfortunately, I have to tell you that a bishop was the one that related to me that he does it during the Pascha week and especially on Great Friday.  Believe what you will.  I am not the type of person that goes by hearsay.  I present facts and eyewitness issues.

I will be starting a controversy by mentioning his name, so I will avoid that crux of the issue.

That's all.

It is also a tradition for our family to not turn on the radio or tv during pascha week.

abflab91

[quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=6364.msg84051#msg84051 date=1205955923]
It is also a tradition for our family to not turn on the radio or tv during pascha week.


During Passion week at my house, we never turn on the Radio, and we only watch St Movies and the Passion of The Chrsit on T.V., and The Aghapy TV channel since they have all the live services of pascha from Egypt.

Unknown

I thought you weren't supposed to watch tv at all, I'm sorry maybe it's just a tradition here!!

Forever,
Coptic Servent

jydeacon

No thats just a tradition that families do to try to so that the kids can focus on christ(the whole family really) without distractions, but its not a requirement ya3ni

p

Well, something for everyone to keep in mind...The Church is going to have to update itself with the on-screen presentations and more technological upgrades because if it doesn't, then what will the next generation of deacons be? Who would be attracted to the Church and have a want to lead it? The Church will collapse if it doesn't grab the attention of the younger generations by using methods that are very familiar to them, computer presentations. So, that is just a point to ponder about.

Amoussa01

I personally dont see the point to get rid of all audio-visuals equipment. There is nothing wrong with having a microphone and projector in church. Yes Holy week is Holy but so is the liturgy. Maybe we should get rid of all audio-visuals in that case :P

But seriously, there is nothing wrong with having these things. I'm not saying that we should be watching tv and taking ourselves away from the spirit of repentance and prayer. What i am saying is that these things are fine as long as they dont hinder you spiritually. Having a picture of the crucifixion on a projector is not a big deal...

GB
Tony

coptic pharoah

I agre...if u take away a piece of technology like a microphone, then how would they pray the huge masses in the Cathedrals, with hundreds, if not thousands are attending....  but i also say that too much technology in Church is bad because it takes away the meaning of prayer...


God Bless

Coptic Pharaoh

Unknown

[quote author=coptic pharaoh link=topic=6364.msg84128#msg84128 date=1205996585]
but i also say that too much technology in Church is bad because it takes away the meaning of prayer...

God Bless

Coptic Pharaoh


I don't think you are pretty sure what you are talking about, I'm sorry, but technology helps us in all sorts of ways, and for me it makes me that more comfortable with prayer, it's easier to have a projector up and read off what the daily readings are or the hymns we singing, I know it's much more dependable and useful for us lately, I for one love having a projector in the church, it just makes the entire congregation connected and on the same page, so we aren't all over the place!!

Forever,
Coptic Servent

ophadece

Dear aem351,
Just arguing your principle here: I disagree completely with it. The thing is to make the church more attractive and more palatable to young generations some churches in the west went too far with immense consequences of disrespect and lack of spirituality in the church, and you know what? Numbers didn't increase of this young generation. I am afraid the same does happen with the use of such technology that to say the least is distracting. Usage of microphones, or electric candles for example maybe are extra, but in a way they are necessary. Audio-visual aids are not. Sorry but I hope every one understands (and not necessarily gets persuaded) my point.
God bless you all and pray for us a lot

ilovesaintmark

Here's a thought:  if someone walks up to you and puts a shroud over your head or gives you their back, is that respectful or disrespectful?

If the icons, which are holy, have been consecrated, and become a 'window into Paradise', when they are covered is that proper and respectful?

If the microphone is shoved down someone's throat, is that painful to the ears and distracting?  The microphone is not to emulate gangster (gangsta) rap.  It is supposed to be a simple aid at most.

I agree with Ophadece 100%, and so does my soul, my heart, and conscience.

Here are some statistics for those who think this funky attractiveness helps:

In 1970 there were 200 million in the USA, and there were approx. 58-60 million Roman Catholics.  In 2008 there are over 300 million in the USA (as a population), and there are approx. 63 million Roman Catholics.  Did all of that wonderful new cool, funky, let's be happy stuff help?  NO.  Attendance in Roman Catholic parishes are ascribed as less than 25% and in some reckonings less than 20% attendance.  Check out MSN.com sometime.  How about the Episcopalian (the mainline Protest-ants) their numbers are down to 3 million from 14 million.  The funky stuff did not help them either.

Our Church ancestors did not use microphones, but their voices are still heard throughout the centuries. 

Parents need to spend time teaching, nurturing, and raising their kids.  The problem is materialism has taken the place of proper child rearing.

I love technology.  I have:  four GPS units, five cellular phones, a bountiful av receiver, and even a glow in the dark pen, and a ton of other things, but I do not bring them into Church.  You bring your heart and a penitent soul to church--nothing else.

ophadece

Dear ilovesaintmark,
Thank you millions. These are "sort of" the exact words I barked my voice out with a couple of months ago trying to argue with people, and especially this bit about saints icons. Thanks so much again.
God bless us all. Pray for us a lot

ilovesaintmark

You should not associate with me Ophadece, you might be labeled as an extremist, a rabble-rouser, or even asking too much.

Stay away, stay away, I have been labeled as a zealot.

I think some people need a chill pill, including myself.

jydeacon

You shouldn't generalize that churches put the screen for the projector over the icons or iconstasis, at our church we don't have it being covered at had to put it at an angle to avoid that(plus other reasons but thats not my point). same thing with the mic, here we are fighting because people insist on us using the mic's and we don't want them pointed at us. Not the other way around with people trying to hog the mic. I must agree with you guys though that to a certain extent, for the deacons, that the projector system can be a distraction. but if you have a system in place where its dictated to a specific person and the system is set up before the liturgy than there is absolutely nothing wrong with using it to keep the cong on the same page together. I personally love it during the readings so that i can follow along when it is being read in arabic so that i can gain the same benefit as if it were in english