The Presentation of the Lamb

The Coptic eucharistic liturgy begins with a public ritual known as the prothesis rite, in which oblations of bread and wine are chosen and placed on the altar. While preparatory rites of this kind are common throughout Christendom, it is only in the Egyptian tradition that this rite takes center stage as a public activity involving both clergy and laity.

In The Presentation of the Lamb, Ramez Mikhail traces the evolution of the Coptic prothesis from its simple late antique origins to the middle ages, focusing on liturgical practices in Northern Egypt. Drawing upon a wide array of textual and material evidence, Mikhail provides the first study charting the evolution of any part of the Coptic Eucharist in such detail. The result is a fascinating glimpse into liturgical change in the Coptic liturgy in Islamic Egypt. In addition to a meticulous analysis of the Coptic prothesis, this work is an essential resource for the study of the Coptic liturgy generally, representing an indispensable reference for a host of primary sources, most of which are provided here for the first time in English.