The Coptic Church
The Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world, tracing its roots directly to the apostolic age. It began in Egypt around AD 42 through the preaching of Saint Mark the Evangelist, one of the Seventy Apostles and the author of the Gospel of Mark.
Apostolic Beginnings
The Coptic Orthodox Church traces its beginnings to Saint Mark the Apostle, who brought the Christian faith to Alexandria in the first century. From its earliest days, Christianity took deep root in Egypt, not as something foreign, but as a faith lived daily in worship, community, and identity. The word Coptic comes from the Greek Aigyptos, meaning Egyptian, reflecting the Church’s identity as the original Christian Church of Egypt.
Persecution and Witness
In its early centuries, the Church endured severe persecution under Roman rule. Many believers gave their lives rather than deny Christ, shaping a spirituality marked by faithfulness, humility, endurance, and hope in the Resurrection. This witness is so central that the Coptic calendar begins with the Era of the Martyrs, honoring those who remained steadfast in their faith.
Theology and the Faith of the Fathers
The Coptic Church continues to preserve the apostolic faith passed down from the early Church. It proclaims Jesus Christ as fully God and fully human, and lives out salvation through His incarnation, death, and resurrection. Rooted in Scripture and the teachings of the Church Fathers, the faith has remained unchanged through the centuries.
Monasticism
Egypt also gave the world monasticism. In the desert, saints such as Saint Anthony the Great and Saint Pachomius formed lives centered on prayer, fasting, and repentance. These traditions continue to shape Christian spirituality worldwide.
Worship and Spiritual Life
Worship in the Coptic Church is reverent, deeply scriptural, and sacramental. The Divine Liturgy follows an ancient pattern preserved from the earliest centuries, inviting the faithful into a living encounter with Christ through the Holy Eucharist. Worship engages the whole person, body, soul, and spirit, and is understood as a participation in heaven on earth.
The Church Today
Today, the Coptic Orthodox Church is a global family, serving millions of faithful across the world. Though languages and cultures may differ, the faith remains the same, ancient, apostolic, and alive.
