Not many people have the chance to visit the nuns’ monasteries and interview the nuns living there; Pieternella van Doorn-Harder is a teacher that explored the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox convent. She travelled to Egypt to study the contemporary female monasticism where she met with the deceased Tamav Irini, which is a great blessing; she was the Mother Superior of the convent of St. Philopater Mercurius in Old Cairo(6), Mother Irini is very known for her story and her many miracles; her pictures are in most Coptic orthodox houses. Pieternella had the permission to observe the nuns and novice and interviewed some of them to get an insider’s perception and portrait.
The Night before the Ceremony
The night earlier to the actual rite, the novice …show more content…
As explained in her book, the Bishop prays on the novice, the novice then recites “I am weak, request my acceptance in the way of consecration for the Coptic Orthodox monastery, undertake before the altar of God and before our father His Holiness Pope (…)”.The vows that the novice take during her initiation are very significant, She vows to “Poverty, Chastity, Obedience, Community life, Work, Service and Silence”(59). The prayers go on until the end of the rite, the nuns and novices assisting answer as a congregation to his praising, the novice then kneel down, reclining, on the ground while the bishop puts on the white wool covering over her, she stays under it for over an hour and a half as describes by Pieternella, the nuns then “chants the funeral prayers for the dead”(96) in a mournful tone (98), at this moment she becomes dead to the world and is now seeking salvation in solitude with the …show more content…
Watch always to be blameless, to keep consecration garments undefiled, fill your mouth with praise, and be always in the fullness of grace through the holy sacraments. Be obedient to your father the bishop, and whoever guides you into the way of God. Keep faithfully the dogma and the service to which you are entrusted from the monastery and may the lord empower you by his grace, and count you amongst the wise virgins, the blessed brides of Christ.” She is then anointed with holy oil and “receives a burning candle that she carries around doing the “zaffa” (99) which in this ritual means “the celebration march” where she is accompanied with musical procession and hymns. After the ceremony is done the new nun is “cleansed from the filth of the world” (99) she has now a new identity which includes a new name. The ceremony is followed by mass; the new nun takes her first communion after being
The Night before the Ceremony
The night earlier to the actual rite, the novice …show more content…
As explained in her book, the Bishop prays on the novice, the novice then recites “I am weak, request my acceptance in the way of consecration for the Coptic Orthodox monastery, undertake before the altar of God and before our father His Holiness Pope (…)”.The vows that the novice take during her initiation are very significant, She vows to “Poverty, Chastity, Obedience, Community life, Work, Service and Silence”(59). The prayers go on until the end of the rite, the nuns and novices assisting answer as a congregation to his praising, the novice then kneel down, reclining, on the ground while the bishop puts on the white wool covering over her, she stays under it for over an hour and a half as describes by Pieternella, the nuns then “chants the funeral prayers for the dead”(96) in a mournful tone (98), at this moment she becomes dead to the world and is now seeking salvation in solitude with the …show more content…
Watch always to be blameless, to keep consecration garments undefiled, fill your mouth with praise, and be always in the fullness of grace through the holy sacraments. Be obedient to your father the bishop, and whoever guides you into the way of God. Keep faithfully the dogma and the service to which you are entrusted from the monastery and may the lord empower you by his grace, and count you amongst the wise virgins, the blessed brides of Christ.” She is then anointed with holy oil and “receives a burning candle that she carries around doing the “zaffa” (99) which in this ritual means “the celebration march” where she is accompanied with musical procession and hymns. After the ceremony is done the new nun is “cleansed from the filth of the world” (99) she has now a new identity which includes a new name. The ceremony is followed by mass; the new nun takes her first communion after being