Coptic Orthodox Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids  Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria |
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| ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ (Coptic) الكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية (Arabic) |
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Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Cairo, Egypt
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| Classification | Eastern Christian |
| Orientation | Oriental Orthodox |
| Scripture | Bible |
| Theology | Miaphysitism |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Governance | Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church |
| Head | Pope Tawadros II |
| Region | Egypt, Libya, Sudan, South Sudan, Middle East, and diapora |
| 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 |
The Coptic Orthodox Church is an ancient Christian church based in Egypt. It is also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. The leader of the church is the Pope of Alexandria, who is also called the Father of fathers and Shepherd of shepherds. This Pope leads from Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo. The church follows the Coptic Rite for its worship and traditions.
Coptic Orthodox Christians are the largest group of Christians in Egypt. They are also the biggest Christian population in the Middle East and North Africa. The church was started by Mark the Evangelist, one of Jesus's apostles, around 42 AD. Later, in 451 AD, the Coptic Church separated from other Christian churches after a big meeting called the Council of Chalcedon. This was due to disagreements about the exact nature of Jesus Christ.
After 639 AD, Egypt came under Islamic rule. In the 12th century, the church moved its main office from Alexandria to Cairo. Over time, Copts became a smaller part of the population. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Egyptian Christians began calling themselves Coptic Orthodox. This helped them stand out from other Christian groups.
Contents
- History of the Coptic Orthodox Church
- Church Practices
- Coptic Population
- Church Influence Outside Egypt
- Church Administration
- See also
History of the Coptic Orthodox Church
How the Church Started
The Coptic Church believes it was founded by Mark the Evangelist around 42 AD. It sees itself as fulfilling many old prophecies from the Old Testament. The first Christians in Egypt were ordinary people who spoke the ancient Egyptian language, Coptic. Some Jewish people in Alexandria also became Christians.
Coptic Language in Church
The Coptic language is used in Coptic churches everywhere. It comes from Ancient Egyptian and uses the Coptic alphabet. This alphabet is based on the Greek alphabet with some extra letters. Today, the Bohairic style of Coptic is mainly used for church services. Many old hymns are sung in Coptic. This helps keep Egypt's original language alive. Even though most Copts now speak Arabic, Arabic is also used in church services. Prayer books often have both Coptic and Arabic text side-by-side.
Important Contributions to Christianity
The School of Alexandria
The Catechetical School of Alexandria is the oldest Christian school of its kind. It is believed that Mark the Evangelist himself founded it. This school became a major center for understanding the Bible in a deeper way. It also helped connect Greek culture with Christian faith. The school worked to teach correct Christian beliefs during times of change. The theological part of the school was restarted in 1893.
The Council of Nicaea
In the 4th century, a priest from Alexandria named Arius started a debate about Jesus's nature. This debate, called Arianism, spread across the Christian world. To solve this, Emperor Constantine I called a big meeting in 325 AD. This meeting was the First Council of Nicaea. It led to the creation of the Nicene Creed, which states key Christian beliefs.
The Council of Constantinople
In 381 AD, Pope Timothy I of Alexandria led another important church meeting. This was the First Council of Constantinople. Its purpose was to address Macedonius, who did not believe in the full divinity of the Holy Spirit. This council added more to the Nicene Creed. It confirmed that the Holy Spirit is also divine.
The council declared:
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified who spoke by the Prophets and in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic church. We confess one Baptism for the remission of sins and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the coming age, Amen
The Council of Ephesus
In the 5th century, another debate arose about the teachings of Nestorius. He was a church leader in Constantinople. Nestorius taught that God the Word was not fully joined with human nature in Jesus. Because of this, he did not want to call the Virgin Mary "Mother of God" (Theotokos). Instead, he preferred "Mother of Christ."
The Council of Ephesus confirmed the teachings of Athanasius of Alexandria. It upheld the title of Mary as "Mother of God." The council also stated that anyone who separated Christ into two parts was wrong. It affirmed that there is "One Nature for God the Word Incarnate."
The introduction to the creed says:
We magnify you O Mother of the True Light and we glorify you O saint and Mother of God (Theotokos) for you have borne unto us the Saviour of the world. Glory to you O our Master and King: Christ, the pride of the Apostles, the crown of the martyrs, the rejoicing of the righteous, firmness of the churches and the forgiveness of sins. We proclaim the Holy Trinity in One Godhead: we worship Him, we glorify Him, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord bless us, Amen.
The Council of Chalcedon
The Church of Alexandria was in unity with other Christian churches until 451 AD. This was when the Council of Chalcedon took place. Emperor Marcian wanted to fix disagreements in the Church. However, Pope Dioscorus of Alexandria believed the emperor should not interfere in church matters. He was later sent away from his position.
At Chalcedon, the emperor's representatives took strong actions against Pope Dioscorus. This was because he was very bold in his views. In 449 AD, Pope Dioscorus had led another council, the 2nd Council of Ephesus. This council supported the idea of "One Incarnate Nature of God the Word."
The Oriental Orthodox churches, including the Coptic Church, believe that Christ has "One Nature"—God the Word made human. This nature is fully human and fully divine. Other churches, called Chalcedonians, believe Christ is "recognized in" two natures, full humanity and full divinity. The Oriental Orthodox believe this sounds too much like the teachings of Nestorius.
After this council, Alexandria had two leaders. One was the native Egyptian leader, now called the Coptic pope of Alexandria. The other was the Imperial leader, now known as the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria. Almost all Egyptians rejected the decisions of Chalcedon. They stayed loyal to the native Egyptian Church, which is now the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Copts believe Pope Dioscorus was unfairly removed from the council. They also believe he was not called a heretic by the council's rules. Before recent talks, some called the Coptic Church "Monophysites." However, the Coptic Church believes Monophysitism is wrong. A better term for Coptic belief is Miaphysite. This means Christ has one united nature, both human and divine.
Muslim Rule in Egypt
The Muslim invasion of Egypt happened in 639 AD. Bishop John of Nikiu wrote about this event from a Coptic view. He described the invaders as harsh. He said they "took away Egyptians' belongings and treated them cruelly." He also wrote about bad acts by the Muslims against the people.
However, John also noted that the Muslim commander, Amr ibn al-As, did not harm churches after the conquest. He "took none of the property of the Churches." He also "preserved them throughout all his days."
Despite the changes in power, most Egyptians remained Christian for a long time. But over centuries, more people became Muslim. By the end of the 12th century, Egypt was mostly a Muslim country. Arab-Muslim immigration and Copts converting to Islam led to fewer Copts. The rulers taxed Christians more than Muslims. This made it hard for the Coptic Church to keep its wealthy members.
Under Islamic Rule (640–1800)
From 969 to 1171, the Fatimid Caliphate ruled Egypt. They were generally kind to Christians. But between 1004 and 1013, Caliph al-Hakim persecuted Christians. He made rules about clothing and stopped public Christian festivals. He also fired Christian and Jewish officials. However, he later changed these rules. This allowed Copts to get important jobs in the government again.
The Coptic Pope's home moved from Alexandria to Cairo around 1078–92. This happened because the grand vizier, Badr al-Jamali, wanted the Pope to live in the capital. When Saladin came to Egypt in 1163, the government focused on defending Sunni Islam. Christians faced discrimination again. They had to be modest in their religious ceremonies and buildings.
During the Ottoman Empire, Copts were grouped with other Orthodox Christians. In 1798, the French tried to invade Egypt but failed. The British helped the Turks regain control under the Muhammad Ali dynasty.
From the 19th Century to the 1952 Revolution
The situation for Copts began to get better in the early 19th century. This was thanks to the stable and tolerant rule of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. The government stopped treating the Coptic community as a separate group. In 1855, the special tax on non-Muslims, called jizya, was removed. Soon after, Copts could join the Egyptian army.
In the late 19th century, the Coptic Church grew in new ways. In 1853, Pope Cyril IV started the first modern Coptic schools. This included the first Egyptian school for girls. He also set up a printing press, which was only the second one in the country. The Pope made good friends with leaders of other Christian groups.
The Theological College of Alexandria was restarted in 1893. It began with five students. Today, it has campuses in Egypt and other countries. These include New Jersey, Los Angeles, Sydney, Melbourne, and London. Students there learn about theology, church history, and the Coptic language.
Present Day
In 1959, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church got its own leader, Abuna Basilios. This was granted by Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria. Later, the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church also became independent in 1994. Four bishops were appointed by Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria to start their own church leadership. In 1998, the Eritrean Church became fully independent.
Since the 1980s, leaders from different Orthodox churches have met. They want to solve old disagreements. They found that many differences were just about using different words for the same ideas.
In 2001, the Coptic Orthodox and Greek Orthodox churches in Alexandria agreed. They would recognize each other's baptisms and marriages. This meant people would not need to be re-baptized.
During the 2011 Egyptian revolution, Coptic Christians showed unity. On February 2, 2011, they formed a protective circle around their Muslim neighbors. This was while the Muslims were praying in Tahrir Square, Cairo.
On March 17, 2012, Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria passed away. Many Copts were sad and worried as tensions with Muslims grew. Pope Shenouda III had always worked to create peace with Muslim leaders. People were concerned about the Muslim Brotherhood gaining power in Egypt.
On November 4, 2012, Bishop Tawadros was chosen as the 118th Pope. He is now known as Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria.
Recent Challenges
Human Rights Watch has noted growing religious intolerance against Coptic Christians. There has also been violence in recent years. The Egyptian government has not always investigated these cases well. From 2011 to 2017, over a hundred Copts were killed in clashes. Many homes and businesses were also destroyed. In Minya, 77 attacks on Copts were recorded between 2011 and 2016. Coptic Christian women and girls have also been kidnapped.
In 2015, 21 Coptic men went to Libya to work. They were kidnapped and killed by a group called the Islamic State.
Church Changes Under Pope Shenouda III
Under Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, from 1971 to 2012, the church changed a lot. He created many Coptic institutions both in and outside Egypt. Pope Shenouda increased the number of bishops from 26 to 117. He also appointed hundreds of priests. This helped spread the church's influence.
Shenouda started yearly meetings for the church's leaders. This led to many new rules for the church. He created study programs for new priests, deacons, and married couples. For the first time, women could become deacons in the Coptic Church. The church also started many community services. These included hospitals, schools for adults, orphanages, and libraries. Rich Copts and those living abroad helped fund this work.
Shenouda also talked with other Christian churches to promote unity. In 1973, Pope Shenouda visited the Vatican. He and Pope Paul VI of the Catholic Church made a joint statement about Christ.
Pope Shenouda III also became more involved in politics. He saw it as a way to speak up for Copts. This was during a time when Islamic groups were growing in Egypt. In 1981, Egypt's president, Anwar Sadat, sent Shenouda away to a monastery. But this exile ended when Sadat was killed a few months later. Under President Hosni Mubarak, Shenouda continued to speak out. He often protested the persecution of Copts by leaving Cairo. This often made the government quickly address the issues. Some church members criticized Shenouda for his political involvement.
When Pope Shenouda III died in 2012, many Copts were sad. They worried about tensions with Muslims. Shenouda had always worked for peace with Muslim leaders. The current Pope, Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, continues to work with the Egyptian government and other churches. He has also increased talks with Protestant churches. However, Tawadros is less involved in public political protests. He prefers to advocate for Copts in other ways.
On May 10, 2023, Pope Tawadros visited the Vatican. He celebrated Coptic Catholic Friendship day. He also marked 50 years since Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda met. Pope Francis announced that the 21 Coptic Martyrs killed in Libya in 2015 would be honored by the Catholic Church. Pope Tawadros gave relics from each of the martyrs to the Vatican.
Church Practices
Coptic Orthodox Christians use a prayer book called the Agpeya. They pray at seven specific times each day. They face east when they pray, looking forward to Jesus's return. This practice comes from the Bible, where King David prayed seven times a day. Church bells remind Christians to pray at these times. Before praying, they wash their hands and face to be clean. They also take off their shoes to show respect for God. During each prayer time, they bow three times in the name of the Trinity. They also say "Alleluia" after each Psalm. Women usually wear a head covering when they pray.
All Coptic Orthodox churches are built to face east for prayer. If a church is acquired from another Christian group, efforts are made to change it to face east.
In Coptic Orthodox Christianity, fasting means not eating meat or dairy products. Before taking Holy Communion, Coptic Christians fast from midnight. They also fast every Wednesday and Friday. Wednesdays remember Jesus's betrayal, and Fridays remember His crucifixion. In total, Copts fast for 210 to 240 days each year. This means they avoid all animal products for about two-thirds of the year. The fasts before Advent and Lent are 43 and 55 days long. In August, before the celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God, Copts fast for 15 days. Fasting also happens before the feast of Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
Christmas has been a national holiday in Egypt since 2003. It is the only Christian holiday in Egypt. Coptic Christmas is usually on January 6 or 7. Other major feasts are Epiphany, Palm Sunday, Easter, Pentecost, Ascension, and Annunciation. These are called the Seven Major Feasts. Major feasts always have fasts before them. There are also Seven Minor Feasts and other feasts honoring saints.
Coptic Population
Official numbers from Egypt show about 4 million Coptic Orthodox Christians. However, media and other groups often estimate the number to be around 10% of Egypt's population, or 10 million people. Egyptian Copts are the largest Christian group in the Arab world. Their numbers are usually between 4.7 and 7.1 million. Most of them live in Egypt under the Coptic Orthodox Church. Since 2006, Egyptian censuses have not asked about religion. Church leaders say that Christians were undercounted in government surveys. In 2017, a government newspaper estimated Copts at 10 to 15%. The Coptic Orthodox Church itself claims 20 to 25 million members worldwide.
Many Copts also live outside Africa. Large numbers are in the United States, Canada, Australia, France, and Germany. The exact number of Egyptian-born Copts living abroad is hard to know. It is estimated to be close to 1 million. There are also between 150,000 and 200,000 Copts in Sudan.
Church Influence Outside Egypt
Besides Egypt, the Coptic Church has authority over all of Africa. The following independent churches have strong historical ties to the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Tradition says that St. Matthew and St. Bartholomew first brought Christianity to Ethiopia in the 1st century. The first Ethiopian Christian is thought to be the eunuch mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. Ethiopia became more Christian in the 4th century. This was thanks to two men from Tyre, including St. Frumentius. Since Ezana of Axum became Christian in 325 AD, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church received its archbishops from the Coptic Orthodox Church. Until the mid-20th century, the leaders of the Ethiopian church were ethnic Copts. In 1951, Pope Joseph II of Alexandria appointed Abuna Basilios as the first native Ethiopian church leader. In 1959, Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria crowned Abuna Basilios as the first leader of Ethiopia's church.
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church
After Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 1993, its government asked Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria for their church to be independent. In 1994, Pope Shenouda appointed Abune Phillipos as the first Archbishop of Eritrea.
Church Leadership Titles
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Church Administration
The Coptic Orthodox Church is led by its Holy Synod. This group is headed by the Patriarch of Alexandria. Under his leadership are various bishops and other church leaders. These include metropolitan archbishops, diocesan bishops, and missionary bishops.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia copta ortodoxa para niños
- Pope of Alexandria
- Copts
- Coptic saints
- Coptic Orthodox churches
- Oriental Orthodox Churches
- Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
- Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church
- Christianity in Egypt
- Christianity in the Middle East
- Persecution of Copts
