What are all the sources explaining why I should not chant Api-nav Shopi at the Offertorium instead of Alleluia El-Qorban?

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

The correct practice in the Coptic Orthodox Liturgy during the Offering of the Lamb (the Offertorium) is to chant the Alleluia of the Offering (known as Alleluia El-Qorban), which consists of ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ: ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥⲉⲛϥ ⲉϩⲣⲏⲓ ... (Alleluia: He who offered Himself...).

The practice of substituting this with ⲁⲡⲓⲛⲁⲩ ϣⲱⲡⲓ (The time has become...) is a modern deviation and is liturgically incorrect for several specific theological and historical reasons:

1. The Nature of the "Alleluia" in the Liturgy

The Alleluia of the Offering is the "Alleluia" of the Liturgy of the Word, corresponding to the Psalm and Gospel that follow. In the Coptic Rite, the "Alleluia" is never omitted during the offering of the Sacrifice. Chanting ⲁⲡⲓⲛⲁⲩ ϣⲱⲡⲓ—which is a refrain from a Psali (a poetic hymn)—strips the moment of the scriptural "Alleluia," which is essential to the rite.

2. The Source of "Api-nav Shopi"

ⲁⲡⲓⲛⲁⲩ ϣⲱⲡⲓ is actually the refrain of the Sunday Psali on the First Canticle (Hoos). It is a hymn of praise intended for the Midnight Praises (Tasbeha). It was never written or intended by the Church Fathers to be a liturgical response during the Divine Liturgy. Using it during the Offering is a displacement of a communal praise hymn into a sacramental movement.

3. Theological Precision of the Offering

The text of the Alleluia of the Offering specifies the work of Christ:

"Alleluia. He who offered Himself as an acceptable sacrifice on the Cross for the salvation of our race. His good Father smelled Him at the evening hour on Golgotha..."

This text is vital because it links the bread and wine on the altar directly to the Sacrifice of the Cross. ⲁⲡⲓⲛⲁⲩ ϣⲱⲡⲓ, while beautiful, simply says "The time has become [near], let us worship the Savior, the Lover of Mankind." While true, it lacks the specific sacrificial theology required at the exact moment the priest is choosing the Lamb.

4. Liturgical Uniformity and Authority

The authentic tradition, preserved and taught by the Great Cantors (Moalemeen) such as Moalem Ibrahim Ayad, Moalem Gad Lewis, and Moalem George Mikhail, emphasizes adherence to the Euchologion (the Khulagi). You will find that in every authoritative Khulagi—including those used by the Coptic Patriarchate—the response for the Offering is the Alleluia.

5. Categorization of Hymns

In Coptic hymnology, we distinguish between:

• ⲁⲗϩⲁⲛ (Hymns): Fixed liturgical prayers.
• ⲯⲁⲗⲓ (Psalis): Poetic compositions that vary by day or occasion.

Substituting a fixed liturgical hymn (the Alleluia) with a verse from a Psali (ⲁⲡⲓⲛⲁⲩ ϣⲱⲡⲓ) destabilizes the liturgical structure. It is often a result of people seeking "shorter" or "prettier" melodies rather than adhering to the theological depth of the prescribed rites.

Conclusion:

To maintain the integrity of the Coptic Orthodox Liturgy, you must chant the Alleluia of the Offering. This ensures that the focus remains on Christ as the High Priest and the Sacrifice, as confirmed by our liturgical books and the oral tradition of our Moalemeen. Any deviation into Psalis during this time is an unauthorized change to the rite.