The Feast of the Apostles is celebrated on the 5th day of the month of Abib (July 12th) every year. It is also the day when the church celebrates the martyrdom of the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul. The rite for the Feast of the Apostles is prayed in the annual tune, with the annual Katameros (Daily/Sunday) readings for that day, with the addition of hymns for the feast and the martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul.

If the Feast of the Apostles falls on a Wednesday or Friday it does not break the fast, since it is not a Major Feast of the Lord.

Raising of Evening Incense (Vespers)

Raising of Evening Incense (Vespers) begin with the prayers of the Eleventh Hour (Vespers), Twelfth Hour (Compline), and the Prayer of the Veil, if prayed in the monastery or convent, of the Agpeya (Book of Hours).

Following the prayers of the Agpeya, Vespers Praises begin with the hymn Nie;noc tyrou and are prayed as usual with the following addition:

1. 1. Psali Adam for the Apostles’ Feast (if the Feast falls on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday) or Psali Watos for the Apostles’ Feast (if the Feast falls on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday)

Offering of Evening Incense (Vespers) are then prayed. The bishop or priest begins with the opening veil of the sanctuary, `Ele`ycon `ymac and ‘Our Father and the ‘Thanksgiving Prayer’. It is then prayed in the annual rite with the following additions:

1. 1. Verse of Cymbals for the Apostles and for the Apostles St. Pater and St. Paul
   2. Doxologies for the Apostles and for the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul

Midnight Praises

All three watches of the Midnight Prayer are prayed before the Midnight Praises. Midnight
Praises is then prayed beginning with Ten;ynou . It is then prayed in the annual rite and tune according to the day that it falls on with the following additions for the Feast of the Apostles.

1. 1. Doxologies for the Apostles and for the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul
   2. Psali Adam for the Apostles’ Feast (if the Feast falls on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday) or Psali Watos for the Apostles’ Feast (if the Feast falls on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday)
   3. Antiphonary for the 5th Day of Abib: Martyrdom of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul

Raising of Morning Incense (Matins)

The prayer of the First Hour (Prime) is prayed followed by the Morning Doxology and the Conclusion of the Adam Theotokia. Then the bishop or priest opens the veil of the sanctuary and begins the prayers of the Raising of Morning Incense (Matins) with `Ele`ycon `ymac, ‘Our Father’, and the ‘Thanksgiving Prayer’. It is then prayed in the annual rite with the following additions, similar to that of the Raising of Evening Incense (Vespers):

1. 1. Verse of Cymbals for the Apostles and for the Apostles St. Pater and St. Paul
   2. Doxologies for the Apostles and for the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul

The Liturgy of the Blessing of the Water (Lakkan)

A table is prepared outside of the Sanctuary facing the east with two candlestands and a basin/bowl of water. Upon conclusion of the Prayer of Morning Evening of Incense (Matins) the hymn K`cmarwout (Blessed Are You) is chanted and the prayers of the Liturgy of the Blessings of the Water (Lakkan) is prayed. The bishop or priest begins with the Thanksgiving Prayer as usual reciting after the statement, ‘ and from all Your people’ followed by the addition of the statement ‘and from this basin’ while signing the cross over the basin/bowl of water. Following the Thanksgiving Prayer, the Verse of the Cymbals are chanted, with the addition of the verses for the apostles and the apostles for St. Peter and St. Paul, followed by Psalm 50. Then Doxa ci `o :eoc `umwn. is cahnted and the prophecies are read in Coptic or the language of the congregation. The prophecies that are read are the following: Ex. 15:22 – 16:1; Ex. 30:17-30; Is. 1:16-26; Is. 35:1-10; Is. 43:16 – 44:6; Zach. 8:7-19, Zach. 14:8-11.

After the reading of the prophecies, the congregation chants Tenouwst in the annual tune followed by the Pauline Epistle (Heb. 10:22-38). The Hymn of the Trisagion (Agios) is then chanted in the annual tune. The bishop or priest then prayers the Litany of the Gospel and the Psalm (Ps. 50:7,10) and the Gospel (Jn 5:1-18) are read in Coptic and/ or the language of the congregation.

Following the reading of the Gospel, the priest then takes from the deacon the cross, upon which are three candles praying V] nai nan (O God have Mercy). Kurie `ele`ycon (Lord have mercy) is then chanted ten times in the melismatic tune. As the congregation chants Kurie `ele`ycon the priest prays ‘Healing to the Sick’ inaudibly. The Gospel Response is then chanted beginning with I=y=c P=,=c `ncaf nem voou and the first verse of the Doxology of the Apostle which begins with Pisorp qen ni`apoctoloc, meaning ‘the ‘first among the apotles’.

The priest then prays the Seven Long Litanies:

1. 1. Litany of the Sick
   2. Litany of the Travelers
   3. Litany of the Waters (or the Combined Litany for the Three Seasons)
   4. Litany of the Leader
   5. Litany of the Departed
   6. Litany of the Oblations
   7. Litany of the Catechumens

Following the Litany of the Catechumens the priest prayers a number of small litanies (petitions) to which the responds Kurie `ele`ycon (Lord Have Mercy) after each litany.
Then the bishop or priest holds the cross with lit candles and the congregation pray Kurie `ele`ycon (Lord Have Mercy) 100 times. After this the bishop or priest prays the ‘Three Great Litanies,’

1. 1. Litany of Peace
   2. Litany of the Father
   3. Litany of the Assemblies

followed by reciting of ‘The Orthodox Creed’ by the congregation.

The Adam Aspasmos for the Apostles is chanted, then the deacon recites the response, “Offer, offer, offer in order…’ to which the congregation responds with Hiten ni`precbia (Through the intercessions…).

The bishop or priest then begins the Liturgy of the Water with Y `agapy tou :eou (The Love of God the Father….). The bishop or priest continues to pray the assigned prayers for the Liturgy of the Waters concluding with the ‘Our Father’. The bishop or priest then recites, ‘The Prayer of the Absolution of the Son’ and the deacon responds with Cw;ic `amyn@ ke tw `pneumati (Saved Amen. And with your spirit…). The bishop or priest makes the sign of the cross on the basin and the water vessel three times, while saying, Eulogytoc Kurioc (Blessed be the Lord…) to which the congregation responds Ic `o pan`agioc Patyr (One is the All-Holy Father…). Then the eldest bishop or priest wets the end of the cloak or towel with the “holy water,” and washes of his fellow bishops, priests, deacons, and the men of the congregation. As for the females, the bishop or priest will sprinkle them with the ‘holy water’ according to the rite of the Liturgy of the Waters (Lakkan). During this time, the deacons along with the congregation chant Psalm 150 in the annual tune. The Watos Psali for the Apostles beginning with `A Pen[oic I=y=c P=,=c (Our Lord Jesus Christ) maybe chanted following Psalm 150 if needed. The bishop or priest then concludes the Liturgy of the Waters by reciting, ‘The Thanksgiving Prayer After the Lakkan’ followed by the commencement of the Divine Liturgy.

Divine Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy is prayed in the standard tune. The prayers of the Third (Terce) and Sixth (Sext) Hours only are prayed. The Offering of the Lamb is then prayed, the oblation is chosen by the serving bishop or priest, followed by the Procession of the Lamb. The hymn ‘=A=l @ vai pe pi ’ is chanted. If the feast falls on a Wednesday or Friday then Allylouia. Je `vmeu`i is chanted instead. Following the Absolution of the Servants, the hymn Taisoury is chanted followed by the Hymn of the Intercessions (Hiten). The verse for the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul is chanted during the Hymn of the Intercession following the verse of the apostles. If the feast falls on a Wednesday or Friday then }soury is chanted instead of Taisoury. The Pauline and Catholic epistles are then read followed by the chanting of the Praxis Response with the addition of verse for the Feast of the Apostles. The Praxis (Acts of the Apostles) is then read followed by the Synaxarium. The Hymns Nirwmi or N;wten may be chanted for the feast of the Apostles following the synaxarium. The Hymn of the Trisagon (`Agioc `o :eoc) is chanted and the Litany of the Gospel is prayed. After the Litany of the Gospel, the Psalm is chanted in the standard tune followed by the Psalm Response. The Gospel is then read. Following the Gospel, the standard Gospel Response is chanted with the addition of the verse for the Feast of the Apostles. The Divine Liturgy is then prayed as usual.
The following hymns may be chanted during the Liturgy:

1. 1. The Adam Aspasmos (,ere peniwt Petroc) maybe chanted following the Prayer of Reconciliation
   2. The Watos Aspasmos (,ere picyin`i) maybe chanted following the Anaphora.

The Fraction of the Feast of the Apostles is prayed. During communion, Psalm 150 is chanted in the standard tune followed by the hymn Acwmen, N;wten or Piwik. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. before the final blessing and dismissal, the standard Concluding Canon is chanted.

Compiled by Subdeacon Magdy Fanouse, Translated and edited by Youth from the Diocese of Mississauga, Vancouver and Western Canada