Why do we use water during the general funeral prayer?

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

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the use of water during the General Funeral Prayer on Palm Sunday carries profound theological and liturgical significance.

After the priest completes the specific prayers for the departed, he takes the hyssop and sprinkles the water over the entire congregation. This act is a straightforward declaration of the following truths:

1. A Pre-emptive Blessing for the Week

The primary reason for using water during this specific rite is to provide the "Funeral Blessing" to every member of the congregation ahead of time.

• The Rule: Because the Church does not perform individual funeral services during Holy Pascha Week (focusing solely on the Passion of the Lover of Mankind—), the water acts as a sacramental seal.
• The Application: If a believer departs during the subsequent six days, they have already been "sprinkled" and prayed over with the funeral water. Their body is brought to the church, and instead of a funeral rite, the Pascha hours are chanted, as the "water of the funeral" has already touched them on Palm Sunday.

2. Symbolism of Purification and Hyssop

The priest uses a bunch of hyssop or a similar sprout to sprinkle the water, echoing the words of the Prophet David in Psalm 51:

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

In Coptic theology, water is the element of cleansing. By sprinkling the faithful, the Church is asking the Lover of Mankind to purify the congregation from the "dead works" of the flesh so they may enter the Holy Pascha with a pure heart, ready to witness the Cross and the Resurrection.

3. Participation in the Death of Christ

As noted by HG Bishop Mettaous, every liturgical act using water reminds us of our Baptism. In Baptism, we "died and were buried with Christ" to rise with Him.

• The sprinkling of funeral water on Palm Sunday serves as a "wake-up call" to the soul.
• It reminds us of our own mortality and the fact that we must "die" to the world during this week.
• We are sprinkled so that we may follow the Lover of Mankind into the tomb, waiting for the 7 Tunes of Joyous Saturday and the water of the Resurrection.

4. Directing the Focus to the Life-Giving Stream

While the water is used for a "funeral" prayer, for the Coptic Orthodox Christian, water is always associated with Life.

• Even in the mourning of the General Funeral, the water points toward the "Blood and Water" that flowed from the side of the Lord on the Cross.
• It transitionally prepares us: we are "washed" for our burial on Palm Sunday so that we can be "clothed" in the light of the Resurrection on Sunday morning.

5. Historical Context vs. Heretics and Protestants

• Protestants and other denominations often lack these deep, sensible liturgical symbols because they have moved away from the Apostolic traditions maintained by the Coptic Church.
• The Coptic Church uses the physical element of water to engage the whole person—body and soul—in the reality of death and the hope of life. We do not just "think" about the funeral; we "feel" the water of the Church's prayer.

Summary

The water is used during the General Funeral because it is the Ecclesiastical Seal of Departure. It ensures that no member is left without the Church's prayer during the busy hours of the Pascha. As the water touches the faithful, it signifies that we are all "dead in Adam" but are being washed and prepared to be "made alive in Christ," the Lover of Mankind.