The Egyptian Liturgies

In pre-Nicene times the outline of the rites of all the liturgies in the different Churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Rome etc. had the same structure and pattern, the same spirit and aim, and even common phrases. But there was no such original stability about the content. The liturgical prayer's text was subject to constant development, so that it varied from church to church, and from period to period.

Studying the Egyptian liturgies has its importance, since the East, especially Egypt, kept the apostolic and patristic spirit of the liturgies while the texts themselves remained the same as they were in the fifth century. Fr. Jungmann says in his book, "The Early Liturgy, "in the general structure of the Mass, the oriental rites have kept many primitive characteristics which have disappeared from the Roman rite. Whereas our Mass changes day after day, the Orient constantly repeats the same invariable formula."

The Anglican Monk Fr. G. Dix says, "The main lines of all the Eastern traditions had been reached before the end of the fourth century, and after this, the process in all of them is no more than one of adjustment and development of detail. No new principle arose in the fifth century, as it did in the West, to give a new to liturgical development."

The Egyptian Church now uses only three liturgies of the Eucharist, namely:

1- the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

It is different from the Byzantine Liturgy Though it has the same name. It is the most frequently used in the normal service.

2- the Liturgy of St. Gregory

It is often reserved for festive occasions. Some presbyters use it throughout the year. Its Eucharistic prayers are addressed to the Son. There are other Egyptian prayers, three Ethiopian liturgies, and the Syrian "SS. Addai and Mari's liturgy," and "St. James liturgy," all are

addressed to the Son.

3- the Liturgy of St. Cyril (St. Mark)

It was recorded and perfected by St. Cyril of Alexandria whose name is associated with it. It is now rarely used.

Now, we shall study the pattern of the Coptic Liturgy of St. Basil is not very different from the Gregorian liturgy. I will try to discuss the St. Cyril /St. Mark Anaphora in another book, as a pure Alexandrian liturgy received from St. Mark.

The Disused Liturgies

There were in early times other Egyptian liturgies, which eventually become disused. We have for example:

• 1- The Euchologium of Bishop Serapion, whose history and text will be dealt with in the next book.
• 2- The Euchologium of Der Baluze, near Assuit, and its history which will be dealt with in the next book.
• 3- The Anaphora of St. Matthew, the Coptic text and its German translation have been edited by Angelics Kropp in Oriens Christianus.
• 4- Fragments of other unidentified Anaphora which have been edited by H. Hyvernat, by G. Sobhy 5 and by E. Lanne.

"Euchologium" means "a book of prayers."