COPTIC CHANT

   Chant sung in the Orthodox Coptic Rite of Egypt and, in simplified form, in the Coptic Catholic Church. Languages sung include the original Greek, Coptic (a remnant of ancient Egyptian), and Arabic. Liturgies of the Eucharist, lasting from three to six hours, and of the divine office are chanted. The repertory has come down through history via oral transmission. Modern studies suggest that the melodic formulae remain remarkably unchanged through time and place.