Traditions :

Without the inherited traditions, we would not have been able to receive the holy custody of our faith, and for this reason our forefathers placed emphasis on the sublimacy of traditions. If we are to doubt the traditions, we are to doubt all other facts - the gospel included.

The Coptic Orthodox Church traditions dictated :

prayers to be made facing eastwards,

no practise of polygamy,

observance of Sunday worship instead of Saturday,

organisation of fasting,

creed of the apostles which was delivered from Mount Zion,

the manner in which priestly robes are to be made,

types and kinds of utensils for the holy service.

" In such a manner, the apostles committed themselves to the traditions with respect and carried them as a holy task, it was their concen to spread them among the churches through responsible and selected persons. "
(See Acts 15:27 & 1st Corinth. 10:34)

The holy Apostles also urged the faithful to abide by and cling to the traditions received by them either through written or oral expression. (See 2nd Th. 2:15 & Phil. 4:9)

The faithful were warned by the Apostles against those who do not abide by the church traditions. (See 2nd Ts. 3:6)

Rites :

Church rites are the patterns for the service. It comprises oral prayers which in turn cover gestures of homage, or symbolic gestures. It also covers the shape of the church, the utensils, priestly ranks and robes.

The history of rites dates back to the Old Testament.(See Exod. 25:8,9) We see that God Himself organised everything and explained to Moses and Aaron what is relevant to the service order. Moses and Aaron emphasised it to the followers that whoever broke the rule, would not escape the penalty.

Rites in Christianity :

In Christianity, rites have been exalted. Instead of the Holy Altar of Solomon, that existed only in Jerusalem, the Church of Christ exists everywhere. The copper altar of slaughtered sacrifice has been replaced by the tabernacle which acts as a receptacle for the cup that contains the blood of Christ - the spiritual mannah.

Like a butterfly flying from a cocoon, so has the Christian Church emancipated from the Jewish sanctuary. The Church reached sublimacy through spiritualism and not verbosity.

Jesus Christ and Rites :

The first to set the rites in the Church was Jesus Christ Himself. He organised the sermon at Mount Zion and took bread with His hands and mixed water with wine. Jesus preached the disciples and taught them about many matters that 'were not recorded in the gospel', but were fully conceived by them in perfect accuracy. (See Acts 1:3 & John 21:25)

The Apostles and Rites :

The Apostles undertook to organise the implementation of the rites in the Church as they saw and received them from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. (See 1st Cor. 11:34, Heb. 6:1-3)

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Supplied by : Bishoi Rizkalla & Yvonne Tadros