7 Facts You May Not Know About Coptic Christians
By Sara Tawfik / Arab America Contributing Writer
The Arab world, although predominantly made up of Muslims, is home to a sizeable population of Coptic Christians. The Arab country with the largest Coptic Christian population is Egypt. Egypt’s Copts, one of the largest Arab Christian populations in the world, make up around 10% of Egyptian’s total population. The Coptic Christian community, despite its members representing only a minority within the wider Arab world, has a deep, robust cultural history and sense of community because of its shared theological teachings, experience as a target of persecution, and strong ties to monasticism. Here are 10 facts you may not know about the Coptic Christian community.
1. There are Around 12 Million Coptic Christians Worldwide
Around 10% of the Egyptian population are Coptic Orthodox which makes up 11 million out of the 95 million person population that reside in Egypt. Of Egypt’s 95 million residents around 11 million people, or 10%, identify as Coptic Orthodox. The majority of Copts in Egypt attend the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, while a population of approximately 800,000 attend several Coptic Catholic and Coptic Protestant churches throughout Egypt. Outside of Egypt, however, there are far fewer members of the Coptic Orthodox Church. In North America, for example, there are around 300,000 Coptic Christians across the entire continent.
2. The Word Copt Literally Means Egyptian in Greek
The word ‘Copt’ originates from the Ancient Greek Αἴγυπτος (aigyptos), the Greek word for the Egyptian people. The word changed to ‘Copt’ once the Arabs invaded Egypt and could not pronounce the word ‘aigyptos’. Essentially, they changed the world to ‘copt’. Originally, Copts are considered people that have descended from ancient Egypt. However, more recently the word ‘Copt’ specifically refers the Coptic Christian community in Egypt, but can also loosely refer to all Egyptian Christians.
3. The Coptic Orthodox Church was Established by St. Mark in Alexandria
According to the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the Coptic Catholic Church, St. Mark, also known as Mark the Apostle and Mark the Evangelist, traveled to Egypt shortly after the Ascension of Christ and founded the church of Alexandria. Furthermore, a number of components of Coptic liturgy can also be traced directly back to St. Mark who had established them as the first bishop of the Alexandria.
4. The Coptic Christian community diverged from Other Christian Denominations in 451 A.D.
The Coptic community made the decision to split away from other Christian communities primarily due to differing belief systems regarding the nature of Christ. Coptic and Catholic beliefs are relatively similar in terms of theology and religious rites and practices. However, the Catholic Church has differing leadership roles that the Coptic Church does not have.
5. The Head of the Orthodox Church is the Pope of Alexandria
Copts identify their leader as the Pope of Alexandria. There have been 118 popes so far. Pope Tawadros II was selected to be the pope on November 18, 2012. Before becoming a member of the clergy, he was a pharmacist in the city of Mansoura in Egypt and attended the Monastery of Saint Bishoy where he was ordained as a priest. The pope’s function in the church is to make decisions and to come to agreements on matters of the church’s faith and organization.
6. Copts Fast for 210 Days Throughout the Year
Coptic Christians follow a slightly different calendar known as the Julian calendar. Fasting for Coptic Christians involves several different vegan and vegetarian restrictions year-round, including a 40-day fast before Coptic Christmas as well as a 55-day fast before Easter.
7. The Coptic Language is the last Ancient Egyptian Language
The Coptic language is one of the most essential tools in learning about the Pharaonic history and biblical studies. The theological school in Alexandria in the 2nd century established the Coptic alphabet to formalize the vernacular of Egypt. In fact, the language and alphabet are related to late Egyptian written using hieroglyphics. The Coptic community has a deep and profound history on Egypt. To learn more about the Copts and other resources, check out Arab America’s blog here!
