What is the Gospel Response for the funeral service?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-09
The funeral service (ⲡⲓⲧⲱⲙⲥ / The Burial) contains a specific Gospel Response (ⲡⲓⲟⲩⲱϣⲉⲃ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ) that is chanted after the reading of the Gospel.
The Gospel Response (Bohairic Coptic)
ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ: ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ ⲡⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲡ̀ϣⲏⲣⲓ ⲙ̀ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ: ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲱⲟⲩⲧ: ⲁⲣⲓⲫⲙⲉⲩⲓ ⲱ̀ ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲯⲩⲭⲏ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲕⲃⲱⲕ (ⲧⲉⲕⲃⲱⲕⲓ): ⲙⲁⲙ̀ⲧⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲥ (ⲛⲁϥ) ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲡⲁⲣⲁⲇⲓⲥⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡ̀ⲟⲩⲛⲟϥ.
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Transliteration:
Alleluia: Isos Pikhristos Pshiri m-Phnooti: phe-etaf-tonf evol khen netmo-oot: ariphmevi o Po-is nte epsykhi mpek-vok (tek-voki): ma-mton nas (naf) khen pi-paradisos nte pi-ounof.
Translation:
"Hallelujah: Jesus Christ the Son of God, who rose from the dead: Remember, O Lord, the soul of Your servant (or handmaid): give rest to him (or her) in the Paradise of Joy."
Liturgical Context and Variations:
- The Hope of Resurrection: Even in the context of mourning, the response begins with ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ (Hallelujah) and a proclamation of Christ's Resurrection (ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲱⲟⲩⲧ), affirming the Coptic Orthodox belief in the afterlife and the victory over death.
- Request for Rest: The plea ⲙⲁⲙ̀ⲧⲟⲛ (give rest) in the ⲡⲓⲡⲁⲣⲁⲇⲓⲥⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡ̀ⲟⲩⲛⲟϥ (Paradise of Joy) is the central petition for the departed soul.
- Gender Adjustments:
- For a male: ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲕⲃⲱⲕ (Your servant) and ⲛⲁϥ (to him).
- For a female: ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲕⲃⲱⲕⲓ (Your handmaid) and ⲛⲁⲥ (to her).
- Specific Services: While this is the general response for adults, there are distinct sections for different categories, such as for children, women who die in childbirth, and deacons.