What are the Lefafas that the priest uses?

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

The Lefafas (singular: lefafa) are the liturgical veils or napkins used during the Divine Liturgy. In the Coptic Orthodox Church, they are handled with the highest degree of sanctity because they come into direct contact with the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.

These veils are typically made of linen or silk, usually white, though they may have red embroidery or crosses.

Here is how the priest uses the various lefafas during the service:

1. The Altar Lefafas (The Veils)

When the priest first approaches the altar for the Liturgy of the Word, the altar is covered with several veils.

• The Prospherin: This is the large rectangular veil that covers the entire altar, including the Paten and the Chalice, after the Prayer of Reconciliation. It represents the stone rolled over the tomb of Christ.
• The Two Small Veils: During the "offering" and the "Liturgy of the Catechumens," the Paten and the Chalice are each covered with a small lefafa. These correspond to the swaddling clothes of the Infant Jesus.

2. The Priest's Hand Lefafas

Throughout the Liturgy, the priest uses two specific lefafas to hold:

• During the Prayer of the Covenant: The priest holds a lefafa in each hand while he handles the Holy Mystery. One is held in the right hand and one in the left, ensuring that he does not touch the Holy Sacraments with his bare hands out of reverence.
• The "Lefafa of the Hand": When the priest is blessing the congregation or holding the Cross, he often uses a lefafa to grasp the Cross as a sign of respect for the power of the Wood of the Cross.

3. The Communion Lefafas

• For the Communicant: During the distribution of the Holy Mysteries, the priest uses a lefafa held under the chin of the communicant (or the communicant holds it themselves) to ensure that no part of the Holy Body or Blood falls to the ground.
• The "Mestatir" (The Hidden Veils): After the priest communicates, he uses a small lefafa to wipe the Chalice (the purificator) to ensure no drop of the Holy Blood remains on the rim.

4. Symbolic and Practical Functions

• The Burial: When the Prospherin is removed during the Creed, it symbolizes the Resurrection and the rolling away of the stone. It is shaken over the heads of the deacons to symbolize the earthquake that occurred at the Resurrection.
• Purity: The lefafas are washed separately from all other laundry. If they become stained with the Holy Blood, they must be washed by a priest or a deacon in a special basin, and the water is poured into a place where it will not be stepped upon, usually a dedicated drain in the sanctuary.

The lefafas are not merely functional items; they are "Holy Cloaks" for the King of Glory, maintaining the dignity and awe required for the Divine Mysteries.