Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
The Coptic Orthodox Church (Coptic: Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ, romanized: Ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos, lit. 'the Egyptian Orthodox Church'; Arabic: الكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية, romanized: al-Kanīsa al-Qibṭiyya al-ʾUrṯūḏuksiyya) or Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria is the name for the largest Christian church in Egypt. The Coptic Orthodox Church is an Oriental Orthodox Christian church. Its churches can be found worldwide, where it serves Coptic believers who have emigrated to other countries.
 Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria | |
|---|---|
| Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ الكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية | |
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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 diaspora |
| Liturgy | Alexandrian Rite |
| Headquarters | Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Cairo, Egypt |
| Founder | St. Mark the Evangelist (Traditional) |
| Origin | AD 42 Alexandria, Egypt |
| Separations | Coptic Catholic Church (1895) British Orthodox Church (2015) |
| Members | 10 million |
| Other name(s) | Coptic Church Coptic Orthodox Church |
Reads: Jesus Christ, the Son of God
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On the 18th November 2012, the Coptic Orthodox Church enthroned His Holiness Pope Tawadros II as the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. His Holiness is the successor to H.H. Pope Shenouda III who died in March 2012 after over forty years as the shepherd of all Copts.[1]
The Church belongs to the Oriental Orthodox family of churches. It has been a separate church body since the disagreement at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. The Church rejected the new definitions about what Christ is like, introduced at the council.
The Church has daughter churches in Ethiopia and Eritrea, which now elect their own Popes.
The Copts believe that their church was founded in Egypt by Saint Mark the Evangelist. According to official Egyptian sources, and the CIA World factbook, between five an ten percent of Egyptians are Christians. Over 90% of these are Copts. According to Coptic sources, 12 to 15% of Egyptians are Copts.
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