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Kiahk Praises

"You servants of the true God, the souls of the righteous, and the humble and the charitable, Praise Him and exalt Him above all."

(Coptic Hymn)
Painting of the Icon of St. Mary at St. Mary and St. Joseph Coptic Orthodox Church

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What is The Praise of Kiahk

The Coptic month of kiahk is a holy month that is important for the Coptic Orthodox church, as it is a month of praise that prepares us for the glorious celebration of the feast of the Nativity (29 kiahk). Kiahk praise begins with the Agpeya prayer in which the gospel of the meeting with the virgins who lit their lamps (Matthew 25:1-13) is read. Then, the gospel of repentance (Luke 7:36-50) of the woman pouring fragrant oil on Christ. Then, it concludes the appointed times of the Lord for the little flock separated from the world whom the Lord became their share (Luke 12:32-46).

Order of Kiahk Midnight Praises The First Canticle (hos)

It is the praise of Moses the Prophet after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15). The Red Sea was a symbol of baptism which is considered a complete barrier between Pharaoh and his soldiers and between the people that passed through the wilderness with their God.

In this Canticle, we see a powerful connection between the church of the Old Testament in its symbols and the New Testament with its perfection in the heavenly glory.

The Second Canticle

The church prays Psalm 136:

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever."

It is the praise of thanksgiving which the Church offers to God for the sake of His love for us - which saved us when it crossed with us the sea of death. Today in the wilderness, He nourishes us with His body and His blood (the Eucharist), and His love and His tenderness and guides us with His Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Indeed, thankfulness is the nature of the struggling Church every day.

The Third Canticle

The Praise of the Three Saintly Youths
The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, commanded the elimination of the three youths in the fiery furnace. Even though the fire did not go out, it did not harm them. The king found the presence of a fourth person walking with them in the midst of the furnace and this person resembled the son of God (Daniel 3). This canticle is sung in the tune of joy in order to reveal to us some beautiful meanings:
  • The fire of the world is necessary for the trials of the Church, but God is in its midst

  • Inner peace does not mean the cessation of trials and sufferings
  • That praise carries meanings of triumph with the power of the cross
  • This praise gathers into one view its presence at distressing times and its presence in the joyful eternity
This praise is consistent with the Lord's promise,

"and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it"

(Matthew 16:18)

The Commemoration of The Saints

The Commemoration of the Saints begins with the intercessions of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and the archangels and the rest of the heavenly ranks, and John the Baptist, then the prayers of the saints beginning with the fathers and patriarchs, followed by the apostles, prophets, martyrs, ascetics and monks. It is a glimpse from the moments of transfiguration on the peak of the high mountain of the Lord (the church) where the Lord Jesus is between Moses and Elijah.

And at a lower level of the mountain (in the church), where Peter, James, and John become aware of them, heavy with sleep while saying,

"Lord, it is good for us to be here"

(Matt 17:4)

The transfiguration is where human nature meets God, a meeting place of the temporal and eternal with Jesus Christ as the connecting point acting as the bridge between heaven and earth. Truly, it is eternity.

The Fourth Canticle

The fourth canticle is made up of Psalms 148, 149, and 150, and it is all about praise. Praise is the work of the angels, and the continuous act of the church in heaven, and the act of His saints and the succession of animals, plants, and material things. God is glorified in an unequaled picture in His saints - "Praise God in all His saints."

The Mystery of the Incarnation: The Theotokias

The Theotokos, Mother of God, has the greatest importance concerning the mystery of the incarnation of Our Lord. Since the mystery of the incarnation is the foundation of all mysteries of Christianity, the prophets became expert in the Old Testament with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in casting a light on this mystery in how they describe the Virgin as the Second Heaven.

The Theotokos is
  • The Holiest of Holies
  • The Ark Overlaid with God
  • The Covering of the Ark with the Cherubim Overshadowing it
  • The Golden Censer
  • The Rod of Aaron

Along with the 4 Canticles and 7 Theotokias, there are 7 Psalis-hymns.

Psalis

These hymns in the Coptic Church are distinguishable in that the refrain in each verse is the name of Jesus Christ. For example,
- The Sunday Psali - My Lord Jesus help me,
- For Monday - My Lord Jesus, etc.

References

https://stmarkla.org

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The Spirituality of the Kiahk Midnight Praises by Father Tadros Y. Malaty