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On Good Friday, how does the priest count & pray when we do the 400 crosses?

angi eboroangi eboro
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
hey everyone.....on this previous Good Friday...i noticed how abouna along with everyone else, did the matanas. But how does he count and pray at the same time? :-\.....even better.....how does he count up to a hundred, with his fingers?...but doesn't he get confused or mixed up?...plez ansa as soon as possible. wa kol esana wentom tayebeen... :D

Comments

  • Mark423Mark423
    Hello,
    I don’t actually think it’s that hard. Although I’m not 100% sure, Aboona doesn’t actually count up to 100. They are said in sets of 3’s, so 100/3 is 33 with a remainder of 1. In my church Aboona starts, says 3, then the congregation says 3 then it alternates until 99 and then the final 100th one is said slowly by everyone. So Aboona doesn’t actually have to keep track of all 100, only the 16 times that he initiates. So, he starts them, and starts counting, and when he has said the set of 3 16 times, he says a final one. And that works out to 100. Uhhh that’s what I would do if I was trying to keep track. I strongly suggest getting a second opinion though. ::) :-\
  • nadermansinadermansi
    Yea, usually abouna starts and a deacon with the cymbals does the count so that not everybody is concerned wit hteh count and forget about the actual meaning of doing the metanias or doing small prayers during the metanias. 33 counts are said and then the deacons hit the cymbals and then the process is repeated in all other directions and then back to the east.
  • stevey820stevey820
    In my church, we have a rope with 100 beads on it. A deacon holds it and for each kirielayson, he counts a bead, till the rope is finished. Then a deacon bangs the deaf and we move on to the next direction.

    Steve
  • drewhalim
    Thats how we do it here in UK. I suggest everyone try and get a set of prayer beads which have 100 on them. They look like what Catholics use to pray the Rossary. Never heard of priests initiating the Kyrie elesons' here the whole congregation says them as they are not exclusive to any person. Also the normal tune is in sets of 2's not 3's like the agpeya prayers.
  • G.J.IG.J.I
    abouna starts and and old deacon keeps count...
  • Abanoub88Abanoub88
    yea, there's also another way for you personally to keep count. As a deacon, on Good Friday I usually help keep count. Every set of three is a ridge on your fingers, starting on your index finger. When you get to the pinky, your last kerie eleiyson is the second ridge.
  • marmoora-barbooramarmoora-barboora
    haha, i have an answer for this one, my dad bein an abouna and all...he has a lil clicker counter thingy that he keeps in his left hand, and as he says a kiryalayson he clicks the thingy. once it hits 100, he starts on da other 100. i hope that answered ur ?, aiight? luv u all! Yalla, beace!
  • petergergispetergergis
    Wow, these are all great ways to count, but I think that it really doesn't matter how you count, as long as you get them done, and understand the meaning of it.
  • Abanoub88Abanoub88
    Good point Peter :)
  • Mark423Mark423
    I agree, thats very logical
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