View from the Pew
A look inside Hawaii's houses of worshipBy Mary Adamski
The Coptic Church in Hawaii weaves
traditional Christian rituals with elements
that reflect Egyptian cultureThe priest sorted through circular loaves of fresh bread imprinted with the sign of the cross. His selection of the most perfect loaf of the batch to become "the Lamb" began a two-hour service built around the mystery of the consecration of bread and wine into Christ's body and blood.
The Sept. 22 Divine Liturgy of Saints Basil and Gregory, attended by the congregation of St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church, was somewhat familiar, with all the elements of the worshipping format of the older branches of Christianity.
But it was also thoroughly exotic. By tradition, Christ's teaching was brought to Egypt by St. Mark, the Gospel writer, and these congregants worship God in the same way their ancestors have for the past 1,900 years. Woven into the structure familiar to Western Christians and Eastern Orthodox believers are elements reflecting the 4,500-year-old Egyptian culture, said the Rev. Angelos Youssef.
AYUMI NAKANISHI / ANAKANISHI@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Rev. Angelos Youssef recently performed services at the Regina Pacis convent chapel in Kaimuki. Below right, incense is used to bless the altar, pulpit and congregation.
The priest, deacons and worshippers recited litanies and prayers in a singsong, minor-key chant, moving from Arabic to the Coptic language -- a hybrid of Greek and ancient Egyptian -- to English.
Small cymbals -- played in a rapid, bell-like rhythm by deacon Hany Guirguis -- were the only musical instrument.
And there were clouds of incense throughout the service, which almost required this observer to flee gasping. The ornate censer was swung to bless the altar, the pulpit before the Gospel was read, the crowd, and deacons and priest at key parts of the liturgy.
Gold-embroidered vestments, including the cloth "crown" worn by the priest, are from Egypt. Youssef held a hand-sized Coptic cross, designed with four arms of equal length, throughout the service.
But all the cultural trappings and the many, many prayers are secondary to the central act of the worship service: the blessing and consumption of the bread and wine.
Youssef recited, "Bless them, sanctify them, purify them and change them in order that, on the one hand, this bread may indeed become your holy body and, on the other hand, this mixture which is in this cup, indeed your precious blood."
He said later: "It is not symbolic, it is real. We believe that this is the true body and true blood of Christ."
At the center of the altar stood an ornate box decorated with icons, called the throne, into which the chalice of consecrated wine was placed. People bowed deeply in homage when the bread and cup were displayed. Only the presiding priest may touch the bread, breaking it into morsels to place on each person's tongue.
Communicants immediately covered their mouths with brocade napkins lest a crumb be dropped. Women covered their heads to receive communion. The priest used a tiny spoon to distribute sips of the wine. Even children, including a baby in arms, received communion. The adults and older children had fasted since midnight.
This ritual is considered the reliving of Christ's Last Supper, a powerful affirmation of belief in what theologians have called a mystery relying on faith. Gospel writers Matthew, Mark and Luke quote Jesus as saying, "This is my body ... this is my blood," as he blessed bread and wine. And evangelist John said, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person."
The ritual has been modernized by the Roman Catholic Church, which uses lay people to distribute wafers and wine, and symbolized by many Protestant churches, which serve bread and grape juice in an occasional service. It has been trivialized in some church venues; versions I've seen included cookies and juice, taro and coconut milk.
The service, which was preceded by Matins prayers, "is long by Western standards," Youssef said. "We pray for everything: the safety of church fathers; for the environment -- the generous flow of water, successful crops, rain; for travelers; for the sick; for the departed. We pray for our president and government leaders; we ask God to give them wisdom and courage in running the country."
There are 24 Coptic Christian families, about 70 people, in Hawaii. So far unable to establish their own church building, they gather in a Kaimuki Catholic convent chapel and a Kapahulu Episcopal church.
The Coptic church has grown in the United States, Canada and Europe in the past 20 years, not from conversions, but because Coptics are emigrating from Egypt.
"They realize they don't have much of a future" with the growing intolerance of Islamic factions, Youssef said. Coptic Christians make up about 20 percent of the population in Egypt where, he said, "the government tries to reconcile them, but it is under a lot of pressure" from fundamentalist Muslims.
Youssef and his wife came to the United States 30 years ago. He retired in 1997 after a 30-year career as a certified public accountant, only to be drafted by the Los Angeles bishop to establish a unified accounting system for the 24 churches in the diocese, which includes Hawaii. Bishop Serapion then tapped him to be a deacon, then a priest.
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The Rev. Angelos Youssef showed an icon of Jesus at the altar.
"In our tradition the priest is chosen," he said. Youssef spent 40 days in an Egyptian monastery training for the role. Only men are ordained deacons and priests, and they get married but monks do not.
He is engaged in the continuing education of conferences with other dioceses.
The denomination is based in Alexandria, Egypt, and headed by Pope Shenouda III, who was chosen in a process considerably different from the election of the Catholic pope.
"Traditionally, he is selected from the lowest rank of monks," Youssef said.
Church members throughout the world vote on men recommended by the clergy. The names of three finalists are put into a box, and a boy, who must be less than 10 years of age, pulls the name.
"The tradition follows the Apostles; they replaced Judas Iscariot by casting lots," the priest said.
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Mary Adamski covers religion for the Star-Bulletin.
Email her at madamski@starbulletin.com.
