Coptic Ordination

[Andrew - The First Called]

I have recently watched some videos on Youtube and seen some pictures of Coptic Ordinations both to the diaconate and the priesthood and while in most the Bishop clearly lays his right hand on the one to be ordained's head, in some they appear only to place the cross on the head like in this video   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4b_1cy0rtc

Is this the case? Or is it just the angle of the camera, so I can't see the hand on the head? Or is this (only cross on head) actually the practice and have others experienced such a practice?

[deusveritasest]

I'm wondering if it's possible that the ordinations done with the Cross were minor ordinations?

[mabsoota]

i think u may be right deus veritas est.

[Andrew - The First Called]

There is this video though, which is definatly someone being ordained to the prieshood, although it might be the angle of the camera and the poor quality http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL5b0QhT3Iw

The first video upon second look is an ordination to one of the minor orders and some of the pictures I saw also showed the bishop touching the head, albeit lightly, of the deacon being ordained a priest, again upon second look. I was just a bit worried when I thought bishops might not be touching the head with his hand during ordination, which would make the ordination invalid. Thank God I was wrong

[mabsoota]

minor orders (singer, reader, subdeacon) don't get the authority passed on by the bishops hand like the orders of deacon and priest do.

[copticuser20]

I am not an expert on ordination but its the opposite than what you think.  Hand laying is done for the minor ranks (If I remember correctly) and just the cross for the priests.  The main difference between the two ordinations is that the Bishop blows into the mouth of the Priest and the Priest only to receive the Holy Spirit as Jesus  "breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit"". The Bishop does not blow into the face of any of the ranks of deacons and I think that is why the hands are laid on them.

[Jonathan]

I am not an expert on ordination but its the opposite than what you think.  Hand laying is done for the minor ranks (If I remember correctly) and just the cross for the priests.  The main difference between the two ordinations is that the Bishop blows into the mouth of the Priest and the Priest only to receive the Holy Spirit as Jesus  "breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit"". The Bishop does not blow into the face of any of the ranks of deacons and I think that is why the hands are laid on them.

According to H.G. Anba Mettaous's article : http://copticchurch.net/topics/thecopticchurch/sacraments/7_priesthood.html

, the reader is tonsured (hair clipped), but does not have hands laid on. "The bishop clips his hair, however, he does not lay his hands on him" I remember the cross on my head in H.G.'s hand.

Deacons, priests, and bishops receive the laying on of hands. Chanters and readers, as minor orders, do not. Subdeacon is a bit unusual--generally counted among the major orders, but according to this article, without the laying on of hands.

The prayers for a reader say that it is the first rank of the priesthood, and this article says that the bishop does breath in the face, though I don't remember that happening... I could be wrong.  The preist is breathed on 3 times.

Laying on of hands is definitely for priests, and just the cross for minor orders.

[copticuser20]

I am not an expert on ordination but its the opposite than what you think.  Hand laying is done for the minor ranks (If I remember correctly) and just the cross for the priests.  The main difference between the two ordinations is that the Bishop blows into the mouth of the Priest and the Priest only to receive the Holy Spirit as Jesus  "breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit"". The Bishop does not blow into the face of any of the ranks of deacons and I think that is why the hands are laid on them.

According to H.G. Anba Mettaous's article : http://copticchurch.net/topics/thecopticchurch/sacraments/7_priesthood.html

, the reader is tonsured (hair clipped), but does not have hands laid on. "The bishop clips his hair, however, he does not lay his hands on him" I remember the cross on my head in H.G.'s hand.

Deacons, priests, and bishops receive the laying on of hands. Chanters and readers, as minor orders, do not. Subdeacon is a bit unusual--generally counted among the major orders, but according to this article, without the laying on of hands.

The prayers for a reader say that it is the first rank of the priesthood, and this article says that the bishop does breath in the face, though I don't remember that happening... I could be wrong.  The preist is breathed on 3 times.

Laying on of hands is definitely for priests, and just the cross for minor orders.

Yeah sorry. I haven't seen an ordination in a while. Just disregard my post!

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