Which older liturgies are no longer celebrated today?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-09

While the Coptic Orthodox Church primarily centers its liturgical life around the three aforementioned Anaphoras (St. Basil, St. Gregory, and St. Cyril), there are other ancient liturgies and anaphoras that were historically present or associated with the Alexandrian rite but are no longer in active liturgical use today.

According to historical records and liturgical tradition, these include:

1. The Liturgy of St. James (The Brother of the Lord)

The Liturgy of St. James is one of the oldest in Christendom, originating in Jerusalem. While it is the primary liturgy of the West Syrian (Syriac) tradition, historical manuscripts indicate that a version of it was used in Egypt. There was a Greek Alexandrian version of the Liturgy of St. James, which was eventually replaced by the Byzantine and the standard Alexandrian liturgies.

2. The Liturgy of St. Matthew

Ancient sources and historical scholars, including the 17th-century Jesuit Athanasius Kircher, mentioned that the Coptic Church historically possessed or was aware of a Liturgy attributed to St. Matthew the Apostle. However, this liturgy is not found in modern Coptic euchologia (books of liturgy) and is considered lost or relegated to antiquity.

3. The Liturgy of St. Peter

Historical mentions, including those by Kircher, suggest a Liturgy of St. Peter. However, scholarly analysis indicates that this was likely a combination or adaptation of Byzantine elements and was never part of the official, native Coptic Orthodox rite used by the Church.

4. The Anaphora of St. Serapion of Thmuis

St. Serapion was a 4th-century bishop and a close friend of St. Athanasius the Apostolic. His euchologion (discovered in the late 19th century) contains an ancient anaphora and prayers that reflect the practice of the Egyptian Church in the mid-4th century. While it provides invaluable insight into the early Alexandrian liturgy, it is not used in the modern Coptic Church.

5. Fragmentary Ancient Anaphoras

Various archaeological and manuscript discoveries, such as the Barcelona Papyrus or the Deir Balyzeh fragments, contain ancient Egyptian anaphoral texts that predate the final standardization of the Liturgy of St. Cyril. These represent the "proto-Alexandrian" prayer tradition used by the early Desert Fathers and the faithful before the liturgies were formally codified.

Important Distinction on St. Mark

It is common for people to think the Liturgy of St. Mark is "not prayed," but it is important to clarify that the Liturgy of St. Mark is the Liturgy of St. Cyril. St. Cyril the Great (the 24th Pope) took the ancient oral and Greek tradition handed down from St. Mark and codified it into the Coptic language. While it is prayed less frequently today—often during the month of Ⲕⲟⲓⲁⲕ (Kiahk) or Great Lent—it remains an active and vital part of our original tradition.

The transition from a wide variety of local anaphoras to the standard three (Basil, Gregory, and Cyril) was a process of liturgical maturation aimed at ensuring doctrinal purity and unity across the See of St. Mark, especially following the defense of the faith against various heresies.