Coptic Orthodox Church facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Coptic Church" redirects here. For the architectural style, see Coptic architecture. For church buildings, see Lists of Coptic church buildings. For an Eastern Catholic particular church, see Coptic Catholic Church.

Quick facts for kids Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria
ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ (Coptic) الكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية (Arabic)
Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Cairo, Egypt
Type	Autocephaly
Classification	Christian
Orientation	Oriental Orthodox
Scripture	Septuagint, New Testament, Coptic versions
Theology	Oriental Orthodox theology
Polity	Episcopal
Governance	Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Pope	Tawadros II
Region	Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Middle East, and diaspora
Language	Coptic, Greek, Arabic, Dialectal Arabic, Tamazight (minority)
Liturgy	Coptic Rite
Headquarters	Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Cairo, Egypt
Founder	St. Mark the Evangelist (traditional)
Origin	42 A.D Alexandria, Egypt
Separations	Coptic Catholic Church (1895) British Orthodox Church (2015)
Members	10 million
Other name(s)	Coptic Church Coptic Orthodox Church
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The Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. It is based in Egypt and is a type of Oriental Orthodox Christian church. The word "Coptic" comes from an old word for "Egyptian."

The leader of the church is the Pope of Alexandria. He is seen as the successor to Saint Mark, who is believed to have founded the church around the year 42 AD. The main headquarters is Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt.

Coptic Christians are the largest Christian group in the Middle East. In Egypt, there are about 10 million members, making them the country's largest minority group. The church uses its own special traditions for prayers and services, known as the Coptic Rite.

History of the Coptic Church
Beliefs and Practices
The Coptic Church Today
See also

History of the Coptic Church

The Coptic Church has a long and rich history that is deeply connected to Egypt.

How the Church Began

According to tradition, the Coptic Church was started by Saint Mark the Evangelist in about 42 AD. Saint Mark was one of the writers of the Gospels in the New Testament.

The church quickly grew in Egypt. It started the Catechetical School of Alexandria, which was one of the first Christian schools in the world. This school became a famous center for learning about Christianity and the Bible.

The Coptic Language

The Coptic language is the ancient language of Egypt. It is written using an alphabet that is mostly based on Greek letters. After the Arab conquest of Egypt, the use of Coptic in daily life was discouraged.

However, the church continued to use the Coptic language in its services. This helped to preserve the language for centuries. Today, Coptic is still used in church hymns and prayers, often alongside Arabic, which is the main language spoken in Egypt.

Important Church Councils

In the early centuries of Christianity, church leaders held meetings called councils to discuss important beliefs. The Coptic Church played a big role in these meetings.

The Council of Nicaea (325 AD)

This council was held to discuss the teachings of a priest named Arius, who had different ideas about Jesus. The council wrote the Nicene Creed, a statement of faith that many Christians still use today.

The Council of Constantinople (381 AD)

This meeting added to the Nicene Creed. It confirmed the Christian belief in the Holy Spirit. The Coptic Pope Timothy I of Alexandria led this council.

The Council of Ephesus (431 AD)

A Coptic icon at the Coptic Altar in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.

This council dealt with a debate about Mary, the mother of Jesus. The church leaders confirmed that she should be called "Mother of God" (Theotokos). This was an important decision that supported the church's understanding of Jesus.

The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD)

St. Mark Coptic Cathedral in Alexandria.

This council caused a major split in the Christian world. There was a disagreement about how to describe Jesus as being both divine and human. The Coptic Church, along with other Oriental Orthodox Churches, did not agree with the council's final decision.

This disagreement led to the Coptic Church separating from the churches that would later become the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. From this point on, the Egyptian church had its own leader, the Coptic Pope.

From the Arab Conquest to Modern Times

A painting from the 11th century showing a Nubian bishop and the Virgin Mary.

In 639 AD, Muslim armies from Arabia conquered Egypt. Life for Christians changed under the new rulers. Over many centuries, Egypt slowly changed from a mostly Christian country to a mostly Muslim one. In the 12th century, the Coptic Pope moved the church's headquarters from Alexandria to Cairo.

During the 19th century, life for Copts began to improve. They were given more rights and started to serve in the Egyptian army. Pope Cyril IV opened modern schools, including the first school for girls in Egypt.

The Church in the 20th and 21st Centuries

Coptic monks, between 1898 and 1914.

In the 20th century, the Coptic Church granted independence to other churches that it had historically led. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church became independent in 1959, and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church followed in 1998.

Coptic Christians have faced challenges and discrimination in recent years. After the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, there was an increase in difficulties for the community. In 2015, 21 Coptic men working in Libya were tragically killed by extremists. In 2023, Pope Francis of the Catholic Church announced that these 21 men would be honored as martyrs by the Catholic Church as well.

Despite these hardships, the church continues to grow. Under Pope Shenouda III (1971–2012), the church expanded its services, opening hospitals, schools, and community centers. The current leader, Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, continues to work with the Egyptian government and other Christian churches.

Beliefs and Practices

Coptic Christians have unique traditions for worship and daily life.

Prayer and Worship

The Agpeya is the Coptic prayer book used for praying seven times a day.

Members of the Coptic Church pray seven times a day. This practice is inspired by a verse in the Bible (Psalm 119:164). They use a prayer book called the Agpeya. Before praying, they wash their hands and face and remove their shoes as a sign of respect before God. Coptic churches are built to face east, the direction of the rising sun, which symbolizes the return of Christ.

Fasting

Fasting is a very important practice in the Coptic Church. When fasting, people do not eat any animal products, including meat, eggs, and dairy. Copts fast on every Wednesday and Friday to remember the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus.

They also have longer fasting periods before major holidays like Christmas and Easter. In total, Copts fast for about two-thirds of the year.

Feasts and Holidays

The Coptic Church celebrates seven major feasts:

Christmas has been a national holiday in Egypt since 2003.

The Coptic Church Today

Jesus Christ in a Coptic icon.

It is estimated that there are about 10 million Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt. This makes them the largest Christian community in the Arab world.

There are also many Coptic Christians living outside of Egypt in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. These communities are known as the Coptic diaspora. The church also has a presence in other parts of Africa, especially in Sudan.

The Coptic Orthodox Church is led by the Pope of Alexandria and the Holy Synod, which is a council of bishops. The synod helps govern the church and makes important decisions about its future.