Who are the Copts?
The Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Churches in the World (alongside the Churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome), having been founded by Saint Mark the Evangelist during the first century A.S. (traditionally in 61 A.D.), and is currently lead by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, the 118th pope of Alexandria and patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
The word Coptic is derived from the Greek word “Aigyptos” meaning Egyptian and refers to the language the ancient Egyptians spoke before the Arabs arrived in Egypt in the seventh century. The word Orthodox is derived from a Greek word meaning “right opinion” and therefore a key feature of the Coptic Orthodox church is the preservation of the beliefs passed on from St. Mark to Egypt in 61 AD.
It is an apostolic church that has carefully preserved the Orthodox Christian faith in its original form. It is a faith that has been passed down through generations, always adhering to apostolic doctrines and worship.
The spiritual approach of the Church emphasizes holiness, divine mysteries, and fellowship. It is firmly rooted in the Holy Scripture canons, orthodox apostolic creeds, church fathers' teachings, and the first three ecumenical councils.
Faith of the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Coptic Orthodox Church believes that the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, are equal to each other in one unity; and that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world.
The church believes in the Nicene Creed. St. Athanasius (296-373 A.D.) defended the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Divinity at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. We believe in one United Nature of the Divinity and Humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ; we are Miaphysites.
Faith of the Coptic Orthodox Church
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Priesthood
- The Holy Eucharist
- Repentance & Confession
- Matrimony
- Anointing the Sick
History of the Coptic Church
The Coptic Church was established in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by St. Mark the Evangelist in Alexandria, Egypt around 43 A.D.
The first church in Canada was St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church which was founded in Toronto, ON in 1964.
Currently there are two Dioceses in Canada: Bishop Mina presides over the Diocese of Mississauga, Vancouver, and Western Canada and the Diocese of Ottawa, Montreal, and Eastern Canada is led by Bishop Boulos.
Click here to read more about the History of the Coptic Church. 
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