Where can I find the melody for "Sa Epshoi"?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-09
The phrase ⲥⲁ ⲉⲡϣⲱⲓ (Upward) specifically appears in a very famous melismatic transition within the Praxis Response (the response to the Book of Acts) during the Feast of the Resurrection (Pascha) and the period of the Holy Fifty Days.
Specifically, it is found in the response: ⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲉⲥⲧⲏ ⲉⲕ ⲛⲉⲕⲣⲱⲛ... (Christ is risen from the dead...).
In the middle of this hymn, the melisma occurs on the words:
ⲁϥⲟⲗϥ ⲥⲁ ⲉⲡϣⲱⲓ ⲉ̀ⲛⲓⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ
(He caused him to ascend upward to the heavens)
Detailed Context of the Melody:
- Usage: This is sung during the Divine Liturgy after the reading of the Praxis (Acts) during the Resurrection season.
- The Melody: The melody for ⲥⲁ ⲉⲡϣⲱⲓ in this response is notably long and triumphant, representing the joy of the Resurrection and the subsequent Ascension.
- Cantors: For the most authentic and precise delivery of this specific melisma, you should listen to recordings by:
- Moalem Ibrahim Ayad
- Moalem Gad Lewis
- Moalem George Mikhail (who has documented many of these curricula for the Hymns School in the Diocese of Los Angeles)
Why it might be hard to find:
If you are searching for a hymn titled "Sa Epshoi," you will not find it, as it is not a standalone hymn. It is a verse within the larger Resurrection Praxis Response. In many books or websites (like tasbeha.org), look for the "Praxis Response for the Feast of the Resurrection" or "Acts Response (Annual/Festal)."
Reference the "Resurrection Acts Response" to find the full text and the specific musical notation for that section.