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In our Coptic Church, we have St. Rebecca and St. Dolagi, plus many more unknown to us. It is noteworthy to mention that when the angel appeared to St. Macarius, he told him to go to Alexandria to find the two married women who have reached a higher degree of piety than him.
- Worship and Spiritual Practice
- Churches
- Music
- Liturgies
- Sacraments
- Fasting
Coptic Church rituals use very ancient words and music. Local languages are also used, in order to allow the congregation to play a full part in the worship. Sunday is the main day for services, which can last for over four hours.
Coptic churches are built facing East so that the congregation faces East in prayer. The sanctuary of the church, where the altar is found, is divided from the nave by an iconostasis – a screen made of icons. Only priests, and deacons assisting at a service, are allowed through the iconostasis. The nave of a Coptic church is usually in two parts: t...
Music is almost entirely vocal; the only musical instruments used are the cymbals and the triangle (other instruments are sometimes used in non-liturgical Coptic events). The music of the church has been transmitted orally over the centuries because the church didn't use any system of music notation. 300 hymns have survived and are still in use.
There are three main liturgies: The liturgies of St. Basil, used throughout the year; St. Gregory, used at Christmas, Epiphany and Easter; and St. Cyril (or St. Mark).
There are seven sacraments in the Coptic Church. 1. Baptism 1.1. The Church baptises babies and adults 1.2. Baptism is by total immersion three times - regardless of age 1.3. The Church teaches that baptism is essential for salvation 2. Confirmation/Chrismation 2.1. This sacrament takes place immediately after Baptism. The person is anointed with o...
Fasting is an important spiritual element of Coptic life. While it is regarded as an important spiritual practice, it is a voluntary spiritual sacrifice and the Church does not insist that people fast. Fasting is excused for those who are unwell. Fasting requires not eating at all for a period, and then abstaining from meat, fish, dairy products an...
Copt, a member of Egypt’s indigenous Christian ethno-religious community, predominantly of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Copts trace their ancestry to the pre-Islamic Egyptians and their faith to the evangelism of St. Mark.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
May 8, 2023 · Coptic Pope to visit Rome to mark 50 years since historic Coptic-Catholic agreement. As Pope Tawadros II prepares to travel to Rome to meet Pope Francis, the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London speaks to Vatican News about the "great love and respect" between the two leaders. By Joseph Tulloch.
Jun 27, 2023 · But the Coptic Women Sing Too project reinforces that women can be practicing Orthodox Coptic individuals elsewhere, that their voices can be documented, uplifted, and celebrated in spaces other than the Church.
May 9, 2023 · Pope Francis and the Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II release a jointly-written preface for a new book, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the historic “Joint Christological Declaration” that continues to strengthen ties between the Catholic and Coptic Churches. By Devin Watkins.
Feb 23, 2018 · Rules against divorce are even more prohibitive in the Coptic Christian community. The Coptic Orthodox Church prohibits divorce and strictly forbids women to have abortions. In recent years, some women have converted to Islam in order to divorce their husbands.
