Questions & Answers

Ululation

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Prayer, Fasting and Worship › Ululation

The question

People often do zhagroota [ululation] at baptisms, weddings, deacon ordinations, and other joyous occasions at church. My questions are:

1.What is the proper outlook on zhagareet inside church? Is it categorized as a sin, iniquity, transgression, simply inappropriate, normally appropriate, or something else?

2. I have never personally celebrated a Divine Liturgy in Kenya but I have seen videos of people zhagarooting during the Liturgy. Does this indicate that zhagroota may be appropriate relative to one's culture?

3. I have found some websites online that indicate that the Holy Synod issued a statement regarding the use of zhagroota inside the church in November 2012. I am unable to find any minutes or results from this synod online. Would it be possible to share what the synods stance was if it were discussed?

The answer

1. The word "ululation" is generally defined as a howling sound, similar to the zaghareet, but in many cultures, is used in sorrowful occasions, whereas, the zaghareet are customary in joyful occasions in the Middle Eastern cultures. It has become a common expression of joy amongst Egyptians over many generations. It is a gesture similar to clapping in most western cultures. It becomes a sin if the instructions are not obeyed, and it should also not be during the prayers of the clergy, the reading of the Holy Bible, etc.

2. We should respect the customs of different cultures, but we do not need to adopt them into our system. Many of the churches evangelizing to predominantly non-Egyptian cultures do allow some selective elements of the native culture to be integrated, but in no way distort any of the liturgical services or the Church dogma.

3. This statement was a recommendation not a resolution. In general, when the Holy Synod issues a decree on a particular issue, we should all obey and support it.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 2296 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.