I have some questions about this hymn:
1- Why is it said before the Pauline?
2- Why is its tune used in the Apocalypse Vigil for many responses?
3- Why so much repetition?
4- Where did it come from?
5- Slight nit-picking, but shouldn't the 4th virtue be be 'Pi-mah-efto-oo pe.." because the virtue is pitouvo?
6- Also linguistic nit-picking, but is 'Ec-eshopi' more correct? I believe that is for singular feminine, but I'm not sure.
Thank you and God bless
Comments
Hi @Daniel_Kyrillos,
I can answer some questions:
2- the forefathers likened the virtues to the precious stones of the holy city and therefore applied the same tune.
5- the number refers to the word "virtue" which is feminine rather than the virtue itself and therefore all the numbers are feminine.
6- we use the plural because we are referring to a number of virtues at a time. In the Arabic language for the plural of feminine nouns you would use a feminine verb, is that why you were confused?
Oujai khan ebshois
As for 6, isn't there a feminine plural verb prefix? I understand why we use plural, but why ev- instead of ec- or whatever the plural feminine form is? Is there a feminine form?
Hi @Daniel_Kyrillos, in answer to your question plural in Coptic is plural, pretty much like English, i.e. no masculine plural distinctly different to feminine plural as is the case in other languages.
Since no other member chipped in as yet I would just like to point out that the hymn of the virtues is said after the Pauline, and not before as is the rule with other papal hymns, behmot ghar, ai aghaby, ... etc, but since no one prays the Coptic Pauline we don't understand the correct rubrics..
Oujai khan ebshois
Ophadece could you please expand on this note that timeet esnoti is said after the pauline, not before?
What about To Makario?
Hi @danny,
All those hymns are said after the Coptic Pauline but since it is not prayed in Coptic all associated hymns like the virtues, tou makariou, behmot ghar and so on are deceptively prayed before the interpretation to whichever language. As to the reason why they are prayed in that position I am not sure, and I was waiting for the input of other members..
Oujai khan ebshois