Theotokion

References

Sources

1. 1.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 523)

   THEOTOKION, hymn in praise of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God (Greek, theotokos), that celebrates in plain and simple language the mystery of Christ's incarnation and His miraculous nativity. They are used both in the Canonical Hours and in the service of PSALMODIA, of which they are an essential part.

2. 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 523)

   In the canonical hours, two Theotokia are regularly sung during the third, sixth, and ninth hours, and may or may not be sung during Vespers and Compline. As to vespers and compline, the Theotokia texts are sometimes given in both Coptic and Arabic. The text in some recent Arabic editions of the Ajbiyah (Book of Canonical Hours) differs from the Coptic and is probably of modern compilation. In the prayer of the veil, the text, if given in the Coptic Ajbiyah, is the same as the second Theotokion of compline.

3. 3.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 523)

   In psalmodia, the Theotokia consist of seven sets of metrical hymns, one set for each day of the week, with each set followed by a LOBSH (crown, consummation), which serves as a conclusion. Each Theotokion is preceded by its PSALI (short hymn), which varies for each day of the week.

4. 4.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 523)

   During the month of Kiyahk, the monasteries and a few city churches sing the prescribed sets of Theotokia daily. But in most churches, since it is not easy to assemble a congregation every night, it has become the custom to sing the seven sets of Theotokia (plus the Lobsh, Psali, and Arabic Tarh [explanation] assigned to each Theotokion) together with the Four Odes (hosat, sing. HOS) on Saturday night. This practice has given rise to the Arabic ecclesiastical idiom SAB‘AH WA-ARBA‘AH (seven and four) referring to the seven Theotokia and four odes.

5. 5.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 161)

   The Adam melody (LAHN) receives its name from the first word of the first verse of the Theotokia for Monday, "Adam again being sad." If the day is one of the first three of the week, that is, Sunday to Tuesday, the Theotokia of the day and its psali (and similarly the psali of the feast), the LOBSH, the DIFNAR, and the Tarh are sung to the melody of Adam.

6. 6.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 699)

   This melody type (lahn watus) receives its name from the opening words of the Thursday THEOTOKIA, which begins, "Pibatos . . ." ("The bush that Moses saw in the desert"). If the day is one of the last four days of the week, that is, Wednesday to Saturday, the theotokia of the day, its PSALI (and similarly the feast psali), the LOBSH, the DIFNAR, and the TARH are sung to a lahn watus.

7. 7.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 483)

   In the psalmody, a daily theotokion is devoted to ascribing praise to the Mother of God. Notable are the following: 1. for Sunday: "Hail to thee, Mary, the mother of Emmanuel. . . . Hail Mary, the Theotokos." 2. for Tuesday: "Hail to the Theotokos. . . . Hail to the Immaculate. . . . Hail to thee, who hast found grace. The Lord is with thee. Hail to thee who received from the angel the joy of the world. Hail to thee who gave birth to the Creator."

8. 8.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 299)

   In the PSALMODIA, the Sunday THEOTOKIA include similar instances of the Virgin-censer analogy.

9. 9.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 398)

   This is a metrical Coptic composition inspired by a THEOTOKION; though called an "explanation" or "paraphrase" of an original text, it is in fact a more or less free composition on the themes contained in the original. A tafsir paraphrase is divided into a number of sections equal to that of the theotokion. Each section of a tafsir is intended to be used liturgically immediately after the section of the theotokion that it interprets, although some are private compositions that perhaps never attained the dignity of recitation in church. Thus, the paraphrases form a body of popular hymnody that

10. 10.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 6 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 82)

    The Coptic Theotokia are not translations, but, rather, original poems composed on the Greek model. ... Legend attributes the texts of the Theotokia to both Saint Athanasius (See ATHANASIUS I, APOSTOLIC SAINT) and Saint EPHRAEM SYRUS while ascribing the melodies to a saintly and virtuous man, a potter by trade, who became a monk in the desert of Scetis.

11. 11.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 6 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 82)

    Euringer has identified him as Simeon the Potter of Geshir (a village in the land of Antioch); he is also known as a poet and protégé of the hymnist, Jacob of Sarugh, who died in 521. This date indicates that the Coptic Theotokia were composed in the early part of the sixth century. Mallon, however, asserts that these works are of neither the same author nor the same period. He would date them no earlier than the fifth century, but before the Arab conquest of Egypt (642-643).