during the liturgy (pp. 271, 282). But it may also contain the wooden altar-board (p. 270, called tablīth in Arabic), or be joined to this (stand on it). The reverence, probably, was originally addressed to the altar-board. The resemblance of the two names (tablīth and tābōt[1]), the box-like form of the pitote, and the usual Judaizing tendency of Abyssinian Christianity (p. 319) may be the origin of the name tābōt, of the legend connecting it with the Jewish ark, and of the transference of reverence from the board to the box. At any rate, it seems clear that the modern tābōt contains nothing at all, that it just stands on the altar, and is used in the liturgy as by the Copts.[2]
The official vestments of the Abyssinian rite are the same as those of the Copts (pp. 272-274) ; like the Copts, they use only some of these (p. 274) on most occasions. Abūna has a fine triple crown, a little hand cross with which to bless, and any number of orders and decorations. All their services are in Ge'z. Except "Amen," "Ḥālelūyā," and " Kīrālāyesōn," they have no mixture of any foreign language; nor do they read the lessons in the vulgar tongue. Ge'z has much the same relation to the vulgar tongue (Amharic, etc.) as Old Slavonic to Russian. It is said that even the clergy know but little of the classical language; no doubt they (and the people too) know by heart what the prayers mean. In general, all their services are based on those of the Copts. In Abyssinia the Coptic rite translated, is used, with considerable local variations. Except the holy liturgy, their books have not yet been printed, hardly at all studied.[3] We must imagine them as following the main lines of the Coptic books, with local differences. The order of the administering of Sacraments is also Coptic in essence. The holy liturgy has been
- ↑ Which is the usual name for the old Ark of the Covenant.
- ↑ I tried, without success, to make an Abyssinian priest open the tābōt, or tell me what is in it. I am persuaded that it is empty. It is, of course, quite possible that when they had Reservation they used the tābōt and that it has kept the reverence once meant for what it contained.
- ↑ The Abyssinian Theotokia were published by Dr. Fries (Wedase Marjam, Leipzig, 1892) and by I. Guidi (Wedase Marjam, Rome, 1900). Trumpp published their Baptism rite (Das Taufbuch der äthiopischen Kirche, Munich, 1878). Quotations from the Theotokia will be found in H. Goussen: Aphorismen über die Verehrung der hl. Jungfrau in den altorient. Kirchen (Paderborn, 1903).
