What does it take to be a deacon?

edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
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.

Comments

  • the reality of it is... it all depends on who u r. On Christmas and Easter and the liturgies... our church has nearly 100 to 120 deacons. Now... only about 30 of them serve a purpose and 20 of them r in a chorus that has learned special hymns... the other 50 or so r honeslty a waste of space. As a deacon... uve gotta be slick.. ya ur thinkin wow wat a moron.. but how many times has abouna been tryin to do the liturgy and tell u somethin usin his hands only? U gotta understand that stuff... also... u gotta learn coptic to be able to read it and well i ges if ur dedicated its not that hard...
  • [quote author=Nahda#1 link=board=4;threadid=1790;start=0#msg27334 date=1117906758]
    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.
  • hey,
    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
  • One thing for sure, is that sometimes I feel like we take it for granted...or at least I do..
    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.
  • thanks everyone!

    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
  • Well umm I learned a lot of basic hymns, all thanks to my dad...but like i feel like i didnt have to learn those to BECOME a deacon...its just something you need to know when you're a deacon...and thats why till this day i thrive to learn more and more hymns whenever i have any free time in my hands basically. get my point or have i confused you? oh by the way...this isnt how the coptic orthodox church SHOULD be...im just saying thats what happened in my case..like this is NOT the position of the COC i can guarantee you that lol.
  • hey, Dany,
    thanks man.
    i appreciate your answer.
    i learned a lot.
    peace.
  • the other 50 or so r honeslty a waste of space

    very familiar, 75% of the deacons as decoration lol

    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 ;)
  • [quote author=Hos Erof link=board=4;threadid=1790;start=0#msg27413 date=1117991616]

    the other 50 or so r honeslty a waste of space

    very familiar, 75% of the deacons as decoration lol

    Or as abouna says "yi kamelo el manzar"

    aghape,
    chris
  • in the Coptic Orthodox Church, it is very easy to become a deacon. it's not a requirment to learn coptic but it is highly recommended. also there is a vew hymns u must know before being ordained, for example in the coptic church u must know the trisagion(Agios o theos), Stathite meta vovo, and alleluia fai pe pi. im pretty sure in the ethiopian church u need to know some hymns also
  • i think WWJD86 is right when he said you must know some hymns!!
    *i think you can't be a deacon without hymns!! :-\ :-\
  • sandrahanna & WWJD86,
    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.
  • Haile
    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
  • great points coptic boy, actually the word shamas (deacon in arabic; taken from syrian language if i'm correct) means servant, service during the liturgy and also spiritual service outside the liturgy are the tasks of deacons. It varies from lighting the candles to reading and explain the scriptures to the people, and in older days the epi-deacons used to guard the church door, and guide people to their seats (just like in the cinema's lol) and keep order in church.
  • Coptic boy,
    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!
  • At the same time, it doesn't only have to be directed towards deacons, it can be directed to deaconessess (sorry if it's spelled wrong. lol)

    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
  • In the coptic church, you have to learn to read, and therefore write, Remenkimi ("coptic" is the translatoin of "remenkimi" into english); you also have to learn most of the church hymns. Now, its much looser and easier to become a deacon than before...There are several ranks in the deacons:
    [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
  • I finaly became a deacon about 2 weeks ago! Yaaay! ;D It was on Archangel Michael feast day. And my name is Mikael (Michael)....perhaps some connection there, huh? :D

    Thank God!

    God bless you all!!
  • Congratulations

  • Here is what S. Paul wrote to Timothy (who i think was a deacon)... about the requirements and obligations of being a deacon.

    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!
  • [quote author=Hailemikael link=topic=1790.msg76602#msg76602 date=1189224632]
    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.


    Hey, is it true that if a priest condemns you to go to hell, then you will?

    yes.


    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...

    well i guess power drives ppl mad.
  • Well, it is God given power and no one can take that away from me. lol

    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.
  • first of all : Congratulation

    Here is what S. Paul wrote to Timothy (who i think was a deacon)...

    as far as i know St.Timothy was a Bishop not a deacon

    Hey, is it true that if a priest condemns you to go to hell, then you will?

    if he has a good reason he can .. but i think his authority is limited

    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! 

    why am i having this feeling that you are so obsessd by what your brother did to you and that your are not joking??..
  • I'm not really 'obsessed'.. it just came up in my mind and i just kept on talking about it.

    I might be joking or not joking... it will depend on what will happen in the next few days/weeks/months. lol
  • heyy congrtazz

    /
    maahreel
    plzz p4m sister in Christ
  • Major Congrats!!
  • "Hey, is it true that if a priest condemns you to go to hell, then you will?"

    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..



















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