Ⲁ̀ ⲡⲉⲧϫⲏⲕ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ

Apetjik Evol

Hidden Treasures Presents: 

Ⲁ̀ ⲡⲉⲧϫⲏⲕ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ  - Apetjik Evol



Created by St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church of East Brunswick

Perfect is the blessing of the Word of the Father, who came and was incarnate as a perfect Man… The slaughtered One was seen. The slaughtered One is present among you. The slaughtered One is crucified on the Cross… 

Origin of the Hymn

Apetjeek Evol was not well known or famous in Cairo. It is said that Cantor Mikhail Girgis El Batanouny, who was born in 1873, was the one who brought the hymn from El-Minya, where it was widespread and popularized it to Cairo. Some writings even state that he was the author of the hymn. Others disagree and say that he took an existing hymn and modified the words slightly. While the exact history of this hymn is unclear, His Grace Bishop Martyros states that it is most likely that Cantor Mikhail popularized this well-known hymn from the south through his roles as the first hymn instructor of the Coptic Orthodox Clerical College and the first teacher of hymns for the Institute of Coptic Studies. Because He was involved in the writing of the first compilation of Coptic Hymns, some may have taken this to mean that he was its author, when he may have only compiled it.

Dr. Ragheb Moftah, known as the preserver of the hymns and rites of the Coptic Orthodox Church and past Dean of the Department of Music and Hymns at the Institute of Coptic studies, told the following story about this hymn's authorship in a 1999 interview with Fr. Mettias and Nasr and HCOC servant Albair Mikhail:

Albair: Many people think that Mo'allim Mikhail composed the music for it.

Ragheb Moftah: No.

Albair: So he told me that Dr. Ragheb knows a story about the hymn "Apetjeek Evol."

Fr. Mettias Nasr: You once mentioned that Mo'allim Mikhail went to a village in el-Minya, and learned the hymn "Apetjeek Evol" from a lame woman.

Ragheb Moftah: Yes, she was lame. She was a cantor in the Church there, this lame woman.

Fr. Mettias Nasr: Was it permitted for lame woman to lead the hymns in the Church?

Ragheb Moftah: This is something, like...

Fr. Mettias Nasr: Exceptional?

Ragheb Moftah: Yes, an exception.

Fr. Mettias Nasr: Yes.

Ragheb Moftah: A lady who is old in age, and is...

Fr. Mettias Nasr: Gifted.

Ragheb Moftah: Gifted and knows the hymns, so you know...

Fr. Mettias Nasr: Just like the Institute for the Disabled Women, now. It teaches hymns and they know them very well.

Liturgical Rite

This hymn is referred to as the Catholic Response. However, before we discuss this hymn further, we need to examine the liturgical rite of the "Catholic Response."

Response: these are chants with which the congregation or deacons answer or preempts the priest during the Holy Liturgy. Most common examples of responses are: Alleluia, or Amen, or Lord have mercy. The term "response" typically refers to a reply to something someone said, (i.e. it is said after something). So why are the responses for the Liturgical readings called responses, if they come before the readings?

According to HG Bishop Martyros, the term "response" is not meant to be taken literally, rather it is an introduction. The Church, in its wisdom, arranged for responses to include everyone in prayer, as opposed to just the priests and deacons. Thus, the term "response" is used to denote that all worshippers are included

Rite of the Catholic Epistle

St. Gregory the Great explains why the readings are called "epistles"

"What is read from the writings of the Apostles is called an Epistle, not only because it is a message from the Apostles, but also because the Church wants us to listen and accept these readings as personal messages from God, as a way for Him to inform us of His will."

The Catholic Epistle is concluded with "Do not love the world nor the things in the world...". The Church wants to strengthen in us the love of God, and not the love of the world, as the Bible teaches us, the love of the world is enmity to God, and the love of God is enmity to the world.

The 13th century Coptic theologian Yuhanna ibn abi Zakariyya, known as Ibn Siba' (یوحنا بن ابى زكریا المعروف بابن سِباع), wrote in his famous book "Precious Jewel in Ecclesiastical Sciences" that the archdeacon instructs the subdeacon to read the Catholic Epistle. The reason, he writes, is that The Catholic Epistles, which are selected from the Epistles of St. Peter, St. James, St. John, or St. Jude, are considered of higher regard than the Pauline Epistles due to their universal nature (the word "Catholic" means universal, and the audience of these Epistles are also therefore universal). It is also due to their authors' seniority in Apostleship over St. Paul. He points out that this epistle is to be read in Coptic, and (at the time) in Arabic, by a rank higher than the Anaghnostos, the rank primarily responsible for the readings in the Church. No other writing regarding the rites of the Liturgy or the ranks of deacons mention this distinction. Church scholars point out a few reasons for this

During the reading of the Catholic Epistle, the Priest does not perform an incense circuit around the sanctuary as he does for the Pauline and Acts. This symbolizes the Apostles' staying in Jerusalem between the period of Christ's Ascension and the Pentecost, per Christ's instruction. While the Catholic Epistle is being read, the Priest prays a silent prayer called the "inaudible prayer of the Catholic Epistle" where he asks God to strengthen us to imitate the struggle of the Apostles who preached His name all over the world:

"Lord God, Who has revealed unto us, through Your holy apostles, the mystery of the gospel of the glory of Your Christ; and has given unto them according to the power of the infinite gift of Your grace, that they should proclaim among all nations the graciousness of Your unsearchable mercy; We ask You, O our Lord, make us worthy to have their share and inheritance with them. Graciously, grant unto us always to walk in their footsteps and to imitate their struggle; And to have communion with them in the sweat which they had accepted for godliness' sake."

Musical Composition & Contemplation

St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 "For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away."

The Perfect came and dwelt among us, and gave us perfection. This is why the hymn starts with a joyful and upbeat tune, as we celebrate the incarnation of the Perfect one who comes to save us. The way of perfection is a long, and arduous road which is echoed the tune of the hymn. The ending of the tune has a descending crescendo, as if to say that this way of perfection can only be attained through the Holy Trinity

The 2nd part of the hymn, unlike the 1st part, contains no melisma (ⲛ̀ϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ ⲧⲟⲩ Ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲩ Ⲡⲉϥⲓⲱⲧ). Instead, it is full of calmness and reverence, as if to bow in respect to the "blessing of the Father". It is preferred that the cymbals and triangle are not played during the non-melismatic portions of the hymn. These non-melismatic words also repeat in cadence and tune as if it were a dialogue. This signifies the unity between the earthly and the Heavenly which we received via the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The 3rd and final part of the hymn (ⲛⲧⲉⲗⲓⲟⲥ) returns to the same tune of Ⲁ̀ ⲡⲉⲧϫⲏⲕ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ - Apetjik Evol. It is the same melisma as they both are referring to "perfection".

The balance of the tune is also very noteworthy: half non-melismatic and half melismatic. Unlike many other hymns in our church, this hymn does not have any cadence (pace) changes, or score (musical) changes – just as it begins, it ends, alternating between melismatic and non-melismatic tunes.

This alternation of melismatic and non-melismatic tunes is a distinguishing feature of Coptic Hymnology and is not readily present in other forms of current or historical music. Music scholars have contemplated on this and made the following observations

This is not a Feast of Nativity hymn, but its main verse is about the Incarnation of our Lord. Why does the Church remind us of this every time we read the Catholic Epistle?

It is to demonstrate the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ to the believers, and also the perfection of His Divinity and Humanity which we see every Liturgy before us on the altar. Furthermore, it teaches and guides us to the life of perfection, which we are called to. As perfection is a continuous struggle, the Church, in its wisdom, reminds us with this hymn as we approach the source of our perfection: Communion with our Lord Jesus Christ. Note that also the following verse speaks of this struggle which Christ endured on our behalf: O You who was slain and was seen, O You who was slain be with us, O You who was slain and raised on the Cross. This is our Perfect Lord; He who endured in His Incarnation through His suffering on the Cross, in continuous struggle.

The next verse in the hymn is Ⲇⲟⲝⲁ Ⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓ which we chant many times with many tunes (e.g. during Agpeya prayers, the offertory, Agios, the hymn of conclusion, Psalm 150, the burial hymn of Golgotha, the Resurrection hymn Ekhristos Anesti, and many more)

Just like the 2nd part of the hymn, ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲧⲟⲩ Ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲩ Ⲡⲉϥⲓⲱⲧ. it also is non-melismatic until the very end. Notice the similarity in word choice, and tune choice:

ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲧⲟⲩ Ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲩ Ⲡⲉϥⲓⲱⲧ (the blessing of the Father): non-melismatic

Ⲇⲟⲝⲁ Ⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓ (Glory be to the Father): non-melismatic

The blessing and the glory are intertwined; just as St. John writes about the angels chanting in Heaven in the Book of Revelation Chapter 5 verse 2: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

The most repeated word in the (full) hymn is the word "blessing". The blessing we receive from God through our Lord Jesus Christ's incarnation is manifest to us through the Holy Trinity. The blessing of the Theotokos St. Mary, the blessing of our Patriarch, the blessing of the saints,– all these blessings are from the Source: God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ who came and was incarnate as a perfect Man.

Sources and where to go to learn more:



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