What is the purpose of the Prayer of Reconciliation?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08
The Prayer of Reconciliation (ⲧⲓⲉⲩⲭⲏ ⲛⲧⲉ ϯϩⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ) is one of the most pivotal moments in the Divine Liturgy. In the Coptic Orthodox Church, it serves as the formal transition from the "Liturgy of the Word" (Catechumens) to the "Liturgy of the Faithful."
Theologically and liturgically, its purpose is categorized into four main points:
1. Restoration of the Image of God
The prayer primarily acknowledges that through the "envy of the devil," death entered the world and the relationship between God and man was severed. By the Incarnation of the Only-Begotten Son, Ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ Ⲡⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ, that broken relationship is healed. We pray this to acknowledge that we cannot approach the Holy Mysteries (the Body and Blood) unless we are first reconciled to ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ (God).
2. The Commandment of Brotherly Love
The prayer fulfills the direct command of our Lord in the Gospel: "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
At the end of this prayer, the priest says, "Greet one another with a holy kiss," and the deacon proclaims, "Pray for perfect peace, love, and the holy apostolic salutations." This is the "Kiss of Peace" (ⲁⲥⲡⲁⲥⲙⲟⲥ). We cannot be in communion with God if we are in conflict with our neighbor.
3. Transformation of the Heart
The prayer asks God to fill our hearts with "Your heavenly peace" and to purify us from all "guile" and "hypocrisy." As Coptic Orthodox Christians, we believe the Liturgy is a transformative experience. We are asking God to remove the "old man"—the malice, hatred, and bitterness—and replace it with the "new man" so that we can stand before the altar with a pure heart.
4. Preparation for the Anaphora (The Elevation)
Liturgically, the Prayer of Reconciliation acts as a "gateway." Once the prayer is finished and the ⲡⲣⲟⲥⲫⲉⲣⲓⲛ (the Prospherin veil covering the altar) is removed, the Anaphora begins. This removal symbolizes the rolling away of the stone from the tomb and the opening of the gates of Paradise. We are moving from the earthly realm into the heavenly realm where the Cherubim and Seraphim stand. One cannot enter heaven while carrying earthly grudges.
Summary from the Liturgy of St. Basil
In the Liturgy of St. Basil, we specifically thank God because He has "filled the earth with the heavenly peace, by which the hosts of angels glorify You." The point of the prayer is to bring that heavenly peace down into the congregation so that we may join the angels in the "Holy, Holy, Holy" (ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ) that follows.
In short: The Prayer of Reconciliation is the "cleansing of the soul" that allows us to safely and worthily approach the King of Kings. Without peace (with God and man), the Eucharist cannot be received for our healing, but rather for our judgment.