What is the Gospel response for weekends of Lent?

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

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, the service for the Great Fast (ⲧⲏⲥⲧⲓⲁ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ) is distinguished by a change in tone between weekdays and weekends (Saturdays and Sundays).

While weekdays of Lent use a more penitential response, the weekends of Lent use a specific Gospel Response (ⲡⲓⲟⲩⲱϣⲉⲃ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ) that focuses on the virtues of fasting and prayer as modeled by our Savior.

The Gospel Response (Bohairic Coptic)

ⲟⲩⲛⲓϣϯ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲧⲁⲓⲟ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ϯⲛⲏⲥⲧⲓⲁ: ⲱ̀ ⲡⲓⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ: ⲁϥⲉⲣⲛⲏⲥⲧⲉⲩⲓⲛ ⲛ̀ⲛ̅ ⲛ̀ⲉ̀ϩⲟⲟⲩ: ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛ̅ ⲛ̀ⲛⲟⲩⲭ: ϣⲁⲧⲉϥϭⲓ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲙⲱⲓⲧ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ: ϩⲓⲧⲉⲛ ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ.

ⲟⲩⲛⲓϣϯ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲧⲁⲓⲟ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ϯⲛⲏⲥⲧⲓⲁ: ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲓϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ: ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁ ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ⲣⲉϥⲧⲁⲛϧⲟⲛ: ⲉⲣⲛⲏⲥⲧⲉⲩⲓⲛ ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲱⲛ.

ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ: ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ ⲡⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲡ̀ϣⲏⲣⲓ ⲙ̀ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ: ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥⲉⲣⲛⲏⲥⲧⲉⲩⲓⲛ ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲱⲛ: ϣⲁ ⲛ̅ ⲛ̀ⲉ̀ϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛ̅ ⲛ̀ϫⲱⲣϩ: ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ ⲉ̀ⲣⲟⲛ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲁⲛ.

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Transliteration:

Ounishti pe pitayo nte tinnestia: o piprophitis Elias: afernestevin en hme ne ho-ou: nem hme en n-ezorh: shatef-chi mpimoit evol: hiten Phnooti.

Ounishti pe pitayo nte tinnestia: nem pishleel ethowab: phe-eta pensoteer reftankhon: ernestevin ehre-i ejon.

Alleluia: Isos Pikhristos Pshiri m-Phnooti: phe-etaf ernestevin ehre-i ejon: sha hme ne ho-ou nem hme en jorh: sotem eron owoh nai nan.

Translation:

"Great is the honor of fasting, O the prophet Elijah; he fasted forty days and forty nights, until he received the path from God."

"Great is the honor of fasting, and the holy prayer; which our Savior, the Life-giver, fasted on our behalf."

"Alleluia: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who fasted on our behalf forty days and forty nights, hear us and have mercy on us."

Theological Notes:

1. The Model of Fasting: The response links the fasting of the Prophet Elijah (ⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ) to the fasting of our Lord Jesus Christ (ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ ⲡⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ). This reflects the Alexandrian tradition of seeing the Old Testament as a precursor and "type" fulfilled in Christ.
2. Weekend Lightness: On Saturdays and Sundays of Lent, the Coptic Church relaxes the strictness of the fast (prostrations are not performed, and the fast is not "dry" or total until sunset). Consequently, the liturgy is more celebratory, and the Gospel response reflects this by including the joyful ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ (Alleluia), which is omitted on the more solemn weekdays of the fast.
3. Liturgical Placement: This is chanted after the reading of the Gospel (ⲡⲓⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ) during both Matins and the Divine Liturgy on Lenten weekends.