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What does it take to be a deacon?
hello everyone,
i have a question.
In the Egyptian coptic orthodox church, what does it take to become a deacon?
I am an Ethiopian Orthodox and i am learning to become a deacon. It is really hard and very stressing. Maybe because i have a very difficult teacher, but generally, it is really hard. In church, specially in litergy & masses(if this is what it is called), we use the ancient Ethiopian language of Ge'ez. So, i have to learn the Ge'ez (at least the word that are used in church) and the most frustrating part is trying to learn the way to say them and sing or pray (whatever the situation may be).
So, if you guys won't mind an ethiopian brother trying to learn somethings, i would appreciate it if you can tell me what it takes to become a deacon in your church?
is it hard? or easy?
thanks.
i have a question.
In the Egyptian coptic orthodox church, what does it take to become a deacon?
I am an Ethiopian Orthodox and i am learning to become a deacon. It is really hard and very stressing. Maybe because i have a very difficult teacher, but generally, it is really hard. In church, specially in litergy & masses(if this is what it is called), we use the ancient Ethiopian language of Ge'ez. So, i have to learn the Ge'ez (at least the word that are used in church) and the most frustrating part is trying to learn the way to say them and sing or pray (whatever the situation may be).
So, if you guys won't mind an ethiopian brother trying to learn somethings, i would appreciate it if you can tell me what it takes to become a deacon in your church?
is it hard? or easy?
thanks.
Comments
also... u gotta learn coptic to be able to read it
Coptic is another language?
As i said before, i'm not Egyptian and do not go to Egyptian coptic church. excuse my ignorance.
peace.
im glad youve decided to become a coptic orthodox deacon coptic wont be hard to learn it is a nother language itll take you less than a week to be able to read coptic it took me an hour and you do not need an arabic background to learn anothe rthing you might have to get used to is the coptic tune but thta hsouldnt take long either
aghape,
chris
I was ordained before I turned 6....meaning I've been a deacon as long as I can remember...and sometimes I really do take it for granted. Reading ur post about how difficult it is to become a deacon really helps me realize the importance and uniqueness of being a deacon. Thanks buddy.
CopticChris 434, thanks for the info. to make things clear, i'm only trying to be a deacon in the Ethiopian Orthodox church, and like i said before, it is very arduous.
Dany, what were the requirments you had to have to be a deacon? did you have to learn anything and memorize things?
thanks.
peace
thanks man.
i appreciate your answer.
i learned a lot.
peace.
in most Coptic churches, little kids get ordained as psaltos and they learn along the road how things work and how the hymns go. I suggest u find a good deacon to teach u the basics and the rest will come by itself when u start attending Liturgy's regularly, and u can get someone to teach u new hymns for every occasion. U have a lot of audio on this site, and u can ask for any txt or if u have questions regarding the rites, there's more than one person here who can answer ur questions ;)
Or as abouna says "yi kamelo el manzar"
aghape,
chris
*i think you can't be a deacon without hymns!! :-\ :-\
yes, you all are right.
i have to know the mass also.
If you guys know, the Ethiopian Orthodox church
has whole bunch of masses, and i mean LOTS of it, different kinds for different occasions.
there are many books written and they all have hymns.
but i just have to study the basic things.
thank you everyone, for replying. i learned something new.
peace.
Welcome to the site and Congrats in advance on being a deacon.
All the replies above are nothing short of AWSOME. However, I would like to take a step back and examine carefully, what are the rolls of a deacon? Is it just to know, memories hymns and sing them? you can get a computer to do that. Besides, I know a few girls who can put most deacons to shame with the amount of hymns they know.
A deacon is a servant. We have responsibilities even if it doesn't include singing the long hymns. there was a story about a monk who didn't know any of the hymns or Tasbeha. He used to work in a circuse as an entertainer (like a clown) before. Every night the monks would start midnight praises and he would stand there silently. One night, one of the monks got up earlir to prepair for church and so this monk who was silent during tasbea playing the flute as he used to during his days at the circus infront of the icon of St. Mary. What made the monk marvel was Virgin Mary was simling and laughing at the monk's performance. He did what he could in a simple heart to praise God.
The point I am trying to make is, let us not concentrate on the fact that a deacon means a singer in the church. In fact the coptic chruch puts the singer (epsaltos) as the lowest of all ranks of deacons. We as deacons have a lot of duties to carry. While hymns are important, they are not the main thing we should be doing. I didn't know a thing when I was ordained, I learnet as I went along.
Just my 2 cents
thanks man. I had forgot the real
duty of a deacon, which is to serve
God. thanks for bringing that to
my attention. i had been concentrating
a lot only on the hymns and all that
stuff.
Hos Erof, thank you also.
peace.
may God be with you all!
In my church, the girls learn the hymns just the boys, we stand and we pray the same things. The only thing we aren't up to doing is the reading from inside the altar, but at the same time, our priest really encourages us (the girls) to keep it up because as he says, it's not only about the deacons, or the boys, it's about the congregation as a whole. When we're all together in prayer, it's an amazing feeling.
sleepy
[right]1. epsaltos (singer)--his orginal job was to stay outside the altar, and lead the congregation in their replies....his restrictions included serving in the altar, and not tending to the church books
2. Oghnostos (reader)--his original job was to read the readings that were read during the mass, and tend to the church books, and sometimes give the sermon. his restricions included not being able to serve in the altar
3. epodeacon (assistant deacon)-- his job was to help the deacon serve in the altar, and to assume his postion in case that the deacon was not available. his restrictions include not being able to clean or tend to the church vessels
4. deacon (highest rank and the origin of the name)-- his job was to assist the priest during the mass in the altar. he was to tend to care of the church vessels, but not touch them. [/right]
Now, there are no more restrictions, but the ranks still exist. Its not as hard or strict as back in the day, but still its a respected service
Thank God!
God bless you all!!
Very interesting.
[quote="1 Timothy 3:8-13"]Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11In the same way, their wives[b] are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
I'm thinking about being a priest before I get married. God willing. lol
Hey, is it true that if a priest condemns you to go to hell, then you will?
When Jesus gave/told St. Peter that whomever he locks in this world will be locked in the other world
and whomever he un-locks in this world, will be free in the other world. lol that's some special power for real!
I want to be a priest for many reason... but right now so I can lock my brother's soul in this world and the other world. lol
seems cruel... but I can't help but feeling it. LOL
Could it be because I'm being tested? Hmmm...
Shukran!
I'm thinking about being a priest after I get married. God willing. lol
i'll take this is a real lol because ur not supposed to chose for urself what is God's choise. yes. well i guess power drives ppl mad.
About locking away my brother's soul, I'm just kidding by the way..... or was I? lol
But he really needs to apologize for what he did to me... for real. lol
If it wasn't for my faith in God, I could have been really hurt... emotionaly and perhaps
psycologically. Thank heavens for that!
If he doesn't sincerly apologize and also gives me some money right now.... I will know what
to do in the future. I might lock his soul forever! LOL :'(
but truthfully/honestly.... I don't take it seriously... but i get a little anxious when I think about it...
it isn't a big deal.
Bye!
God be with you all!
AMEN.
I might be joking or not joking... it will depend on what will happen in the next few days/weeks/months. lol
/
maahreel
plzz p4m sister in Christ
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO and YES
If he is using his own judgment from an evil heart then NO WAY but if his mind is the Mind of God then YES since he can choose to forgive or not to.
But I am having major trouble understanding how come Ananias and Sapphira (?) were condemned to die because of lying to the Holy Spirit..they kept back some money which they pretended to give to the church and were not ashamed in front of God or St Peter... did St Peter want them to die? do you think they died from a heart attack because they could not bear their conscience?
But I guess God knows the situation fully.. I am afraid if I am having a bad day and not pleasing God one day (maybe I am embarass Him and make Him and His way look evil) that He will be angry and forsake me.. but this is never how I understood God and most christian people I thought do not understand God like this either.. and it is not my experience of God so far.
I would be satisfied with the answer that God knows that Ananias and Sapphira would not repent even if they were given more time on earth.. is that true? but then what lesson did the other church members learn that great fear fell upon them all? maybe to be afraid not to do the same because maybe God judges them as people who would not repent even if given more time.. but wouldn't you know if your heart is like this before you do such a thing? it might relate to the same reason why God allow killing by stoning in the old testament..