What changes during Holy Week?

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

During Holy Pascha Week, the Coptic Orthodox Church undergoes a complete liturgical and spiritual transformation. It is the most sacred week of the year, when the Church leaves behind all "annual" or "festal" customs to follow our Lord Jesus Christ on His journey to the Cross.

1. Structural Changes to the Services

• Suspension of the Sacraments: From the end of Palm Sunday until the Liturgy of Joyous Saturday (Apocalypse), the standard Divine Liturgy is not celebrated. This is because the Eucharist is the fulfillment of the Sacrifice, and during Pascha, we are contemplating the act of the Sacrifice itself. (Only on Covenant Thursday is the Liturgy prayed to commemorate the institution of the Eucharist.)
• The Agpeya Is Suspended: The standard seven prayers of the Agpeya are replaced by the Pascha Hours. Each day (Monday through Friday) is divided into five Day Hours and five Night Hours.
• Reading of the Four Gospels: The entirety of the four Gospels is read during the week, organized by the events of each day.

2. Physical and Visual Changes

• Black Drapery: The church is draped in black cloth. This is not merely for "mourning" in a worldly sense, but to symbolize the darkness of sin that Christ came to dispel and to show our participation in His sufferings.
• The Relocation of the Service: The prayers are moved from the Main Altar (the Sanctuary) to the middle of the church (the Second Chorus). This symbolizes Christ suffering "outside the gate" (Hebrews 13:12). The Sanctuary doors remain closed to show that Heaven was closed to humanity until the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
• No Incense in the Daytime: Incense is not offered during the daytime hours of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, symbolizing the Old Testament sacrifices that could not take away sin. Incense returns during the night hours (representing the prophecies) and fully on Covenant Thursday.

3. Musical and Liturgical Changes (The Pascha Tune)

• The Sad Tune: All hymns are chanted in the "Deep Sad Tune." This is a unique musical system in the Coptic Church that is incredibly melismatic and solemn.
• "Thine is the Power": The standard "Holy God" (Trisagion) is replaced by this hymn, which is chanted 12 times during every hour of the Pascha. It is a declaration of Christ's sovereignty even in His humiliation.
• The Omission of the "Kiss of Peace": During the Liturgy of Covenant Thursday, the "Aspasmos" (Kiss of Peace) is omitted to avoid imitating the "fake" kiss of Judas Iscariot.

4. Ascetic Changes (The Fast)

• Stricter Fasting: Coptic Orthodox Christians increase their asceticism. Many fast from all food and water until sunset each day. The food eaten is strictly vegan and often "dry" (without cooked oils or elaborate preparation), following the tradition of the Desert Fathers.
• The Great Prostrations: Thousands of prostrations are performed by the faithful, especially during the "Kiri-e-leyson" chants, as an act of repentance and humility.

5. Proper Authority and Cantor Tradition

The complex rites of Holy Week are preserved by the Moalemeen (Cantors). Great masters like Moalem Ibrahim Ayad, Moalem Gad Lewis, and Moalem George Mikhail (as well as Moalem Zaher Andrawes, Moalem Mina Makar, and Moalem Milad Nady) are responsible for leading the congregation through the specific transitions of the week.

For example, the shift from the "Sad Tune" to the "Joyful Tune" occurs specifically during the Liturgy of Joyous Saturday and the Feast of the Resurrection.

Summary Table of Changes

| Feature | Annual Period | Holy Pascha Week |

|:--- |:--- |:--- |

| Colors | White/Red/Gold | Black (symbolizing the Cross/Sin) |

| Location | The Sanctuary (Altar) | The Nave (The Cross) |

| Hymns | Annual/Festal Tunes | Deep Sad Pascha Tune |

| Gospels | Specific Lectionary | The entire four Gospels chronologically |

| Absolution | Given by the priest | "The General Funeral" (given on Palm Sunday for the whole week) |

As we learn from our holy fathers like St. Athanasius and St. Cyril, this week is not a "reenactment" but a real entry into the eternal Sacrifice of the Word of God.