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 SongsForever,
Coptic Servent
Comments
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
GB
Tony
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.....
Sleepy
GB
Tony
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.
In terms of chant: I am overthrown in my being when I hear Omonogenees (chanted nicely of course).
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
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...... ::)
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Forever,
Coptic Servent
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
God Bless
Coptic Pharaoh
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
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
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.
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
Stay away, stay away, I have been labeled as a zealot.
I think some people need a chill pill, including myself.