Holy Monday

What are the "hours" (1st, 3rd, 6th, etc.)?

The "hours" are segments of prayer corresponding to the ancient Roman division of the day. The 1st hour is approximately 6 AM (dawn), the 3rd hour is 9 AM, the 6th hour is noon, the 9th hour is 3 PM, and the 11th hour is 5 PM. In the early Church, Christians prayed at these fixed times daily. During Pascha, the Coptic Church gathers to pray these hours together, with each hour containing its own set of prophecies, psalms, and Gospel readings. The structure mirrors how early Christians understood time itself - as sacred and oriented toward Christ.

Why are there so many Gospel readings?

During each hour of Pascha, passages from all four Gospels are read - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each contribute readings relevant to that hour's theme. The Coptic Church reads from all four because each Gospel illuminates a different facet of the same events. By hearing the same events described through four different voices, the congregation builds a fuller picture of Christ's Passion. By the end of Holy Week, the faithful will have heard substantial portions of all four Gospels in sequence.

What is the theme of today's readings?

Holy Monday focuses on two events: the cursing of the barren fig tree (Mark 11:12-14) and the cleansing of the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13). The fig tree - leafy but fruitless - is a parable for religious observance without genuine transformation. Christ declared, 'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.' Then He entered the Temple and overturned the money-changers' tables: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.' Together the readings call each believer to ask whether their faith produces real fruit or only outward appearances.

Why is everything so repetitive?

The repetition in the Pascha services is a deliberate liturgical choice, not a lack of creativity. Hearing the same doxology ("Thok te tigom"), the same responses, and similar structures across many hours and days is meant to quiet the restless mind and open the heart. In the same way that a person in grief will say the same words over and over, the Church in the face of the Cross returns again and again to the same declaration: "Thine is the power." Repetition in liturgy is a form of dwelling - remaining with something rather than moving quickly past it.

How long should I stay if I'm new?

Even attending one complete "hour" of prayer - roughly twenty to thirty minutes - gives you a real sense of the Pascha structure. If you can stay for two or three hours in the morning session, you will have a solid feel for the rhythm of the week. The full morning service runs approximately three hours. Do not feel obligated to stay for both the morning and evening services in the early days. By Thursday and Friday the services carry the most weight, and attending those fully is especially meaningful. Come for what you can.

What is different between the morning and evening Pascha services?

The structure of the evening service mirrors the morning, continuing through the canonical hours with their readings and responses. The readings in the evening sessions often move further into the Gospel narrative - as the days progress, the readings advance toward the arrest, trial, and Passion. Some families come in the morning; others in the evening. Both sessions work through the same hours over the course of the day, so attending either one is equally valuable.

How should I follow along if I don't know the responses?

Simply being present and listening is enough. You will hear certain phrases repeated frequently - "Thok te tigom," "Lord have mercy," and the Gospel responses - and can begin to join in as you grow comfortable. Many parishes provide booklets or screens with translations. Standing with the congregation, following the physical movements (sitting, standing, bowing), and allowing the prayers to wash over you is itself a form of participation. Do not be anxious about knowing every response.