Zwei altertümliche Litaneien aus dem Paschabuch der koptischen Kirche

As Christianity spread among the various peoples and cultures around the Mediterranean, it was common for liturgical practices to develop unique features in each linguistic tradition. The subject of the present essay is one such unique liturgical tradition that developed in the Coptic and Ethiopic traditions. Willi Heffening publishes a German translation of two litanies that are preserved only in a Paschal book from the Coptic Church. While these litanies may have been reliant upon previous material from other traditions, they have survived only in Coptic. Heffening includes an introduction to the text and critical notes containing discussion of translation decisions and comparisons with other liturgical traditions. The article also includes an appendix in which he discusses additional liturgical materials for comparison.