Lyrics Library Fasts Holy Pascha Week The General Funeral

Order of the General Funeral ::

Rites of the General Funeral


  • The reading of "The Purpose of the General Funeral Prayer on This Day" (Found in the Khidmat el Shamas (pg. 274))

  • The priest prays the Prayer of Thanksgiving:

    • Our Father who art in heaven …

    • "Khen Pikhrestos ..."

    • Prayer of Thanksgiving

    • The Verses of the Cymbals:

      • Neknai o panouti ...

      • Hiteni Epresveia ...

      • Ethren hos erok .. je avashk aksoti...

  • Psalm 50 (51):

    • Have mercy upon me O God …

    • "Zoxa see o Theos emmon."

  • The priest prays the Litany of the Sick:

    • Kata eho-o nem kata egorh alleluia.

    • Zoxa Patri ...

    • (Another view of the rites is to recite Psalms parts here)

  • The Prophesy according to Ezekiel the Prophet (Ezek. 37:1-14)

  • The Pauline Epistle (1 Cor. 15:1-27).

    • Ten-oo-osht .. je afashk ...

    • Ethve ti-anastasis ... (The Coptic Pauline Epistle)

    • Response to the Pauline Epistle in the annual tune: "Pi-ehmot ghar ..."

    • The Pauline Epistle is read in English/Arabic

  • The Trisagion (in the known Etribi tune with chanting ".. O estavrotees di-mas … " 3 times.

  • The Litany of the Gospel is read (After the distribution of the Holy Mysteries, the priest comes out and does so)

  • The Coptic Psalm (Ps. 65:4) (Chanted in the Etribi/ Paschal tune)

  • The Paschal Gospel Intro (Ke Eperto... - O-anghno...)

  • The Holy Gospel is read in the Paschal tune in Coptic then English/Arabic. (Jn. 5:19-29)

  • The priest prays the Three Great Litanies (the Peace, the Fathers, and the Congregation)

  • The Creed (We look for the resurrection … (in the tune of Gholghotha))

  • The priest prays the Litany of the Departed

  • The Lord’s Prayer

  • The priest says the three Absolutions

  • The priest raises the cross and chants "Efnouti nai nan ..." in the Paschal tune

  • The congregation responds Kerie Leison (12 times in the Paschal tune)

  • Amen Alleluia .. Fee-etaf-ashf epistavros ...


The priest says the benediction, sprinkles the water on the congregation, and dismisses them in peace.

Rites of the General Funeral


  • The reading of "The Purpose of the General Funeral Prayer on This Day" (Found in the Khidmat el Shamas (pg. 274))

  • The priest prays the Prayer of Thanksgiving:

    • Our Father who art in heaven …

    • "Khen Pikhrestos ..."

    • Prayer of Thanksgiving

    • The Verses of the Cymbals:

      • Neknai o panouti ...

      • Hiteni Epresveia ...

      • Ethren hos erok .. je avashk aksoti...

  • Psalm 50 (51):

    • Have mercy upon me O God …

    • "Zoxa see o Theos emmon."

  • The priest prays the Litany of the Sick:

    • Kata eho-o nem kata egorh alleluia.

    • Zoxa Patri ...

    • (Another view of the rites is to recite Psalms parts here)

  • The Prophesy according to Ezekiel the Prophet (Ezek. 37:1-14)

  • The Pauline Epistle (1 Cor. 15:1-27).

    • Ten-oo-osht .. je afashk ...

    • Ethve ti-anastasis ... (The Coptic Pauline Epistle)

    • Response to the Pauline Epistle in the annual tune: "Pi-ehmot ghar ..."

    • The Pauline Epistle is read in English/Arabic

  • The Trisagion (in the known Etribi tune with chanting ".. O estavrotees di-mas … " 3 times.

  • The Litany of the Gospel is read (After the distribution of the Holy Mysteries, the priest comes out and does so)

  • The Coptic Psalm (Ps. 65:4) (Chanted in the Etribi/ Paschal tune)

  • The Paschal Gospel Intro (Ke Eperto... - O-anghno...)

  • The Holy Gospel is read in the Paschal tune in Coptic then English/Arabic. (Jn. 5:19-29)

  • The priest prays the Three Great Litanies (the Peace, the Fathers, and the Congregation)

  • The Creed (We look for the resurrection … (in the tune of Gholghotha))

  • The priest prays the Litany of the Departed

  • The Lord’s Prayer

  • The priest says the three Absolutions

  • The priest raises the cross and chants "Efnouti nai nan ..." in the Paschal tune

  • The congregation responds Kerie Leison (12 times in the Paschal tune)

  • Amen Alleluia .. Fee-etaf-ashf epistavros ...


The priest says the benediction, sprinkles the water on the congregation, and dismisses them in peace.

Last Updated: Nov 13, 2008 09:52:02 AM by minatasgeel
Added: Mar 29, 2007 01:49:50 PM by minatasgeel