General Principals & Organization[1]

·         Deacons are angels standing before the Lord and should respect that while serving

·         Arrive before the Absolution of the Servant’s (Tahleel El Khoddam) to dress

·         Arabic Gospel will be read first by Father Angelos (or most senior serving clergy), then English Gospel (distributed based on seniority[2] and schedule)

·         Senior2 deacons will stand in front left, others will stand on the front right side

 

If You’re Serving Inside the Altar, you must

·         Know how to correctly chant responses before saying them

·         Respond in the same language as Abouna

·         Only serve inside and not leave the altar to go outside throughout the liturgy

·         Arrive before the Procession of the Lamb

·         Serve inside only if you’re scheduled to, not randomly

·         Senior deacons will be main servants and then accompanied by younger ones

·         Responses will be evenly distributed

 

Schedule

·         Those serving inside and outside, as well as all readings will be scheduled

·         If you’re scheduled, you must come early and be prepared

·         If you don’t arrive on time and miss your scheduled service, you must wait until the next rotation to serve

 

Dress

·         Psalters (Singers) do not wear a red stole (badrasheen)

·         Readers (Anaghnostis) and Sub-Deacons wear the stole with a “cross” on the back

 

Communion

·         Communion line will be ordered by deacon rank and seniority

o   Senior1 deacons will not stay outside to chant instead of having communion

·         After having communion, take one turn around the altar, then go outside

·         Only those serving inside will have communion more than once

·         Communion hymns:

o   Psalm 150 will be said completely and without rushing

o   After Psalm 150, the seasonal hymns will be chanted according to the Coptic Rite. Any “songs” (meda’eh) can be sung only after Traditional hymns are done.

 

Father Angelos & the Deacons of St. George

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