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125-764: The Coptic Orthodox Church of Saint Mark and Pope Peter—known locally as the Church of the Two Saints—located in Sidi Bishr, was the target of the 2011 Alexandria bombing on 1 January 2011; formerly suspected to be the work of terrorist group the Army of Islam , the Chief Prosecutor of Egypt has since accused the Interior Ministry of carrying out the bombing. On 10 February 2015, the police headquarters of Montaza District

250-615: A forested area , acting as a reservoir of biodiversity in otherwise de-forested parts of the country. The Ethiopian Church claims that one of its churches, Our Lady Mary of Zion , is host to the original Ark of the Covenant that Moses carried with the Israelites during the Exodus . Only one priest is allowed into the building where the Ark is located, ostensibly due to biblical warnings of danger. As

375-424: A scribe or cantor . But often he is also a folk healer, who may also function in roles comparable to a deacon or exorcist . Folklore and legends ascribe the role of magician to the debtera as well. The music of Ethiopian Orthodox Church traced back to Saint Yared , who composed Zema or "chant", which divided into three modes: Ge'ez (ordinary days), Ezel (fast days and Lent) and Araray (principal feasts). It

500-530: A 2010 Pew Research Center study, 74% of Christians in Ethiopia report having experienced or witnessed an exorcism. Demon-possessed persons are brought to a church or prayer meeting. Often, when an ill person has not responded to modern medical treatment, the affliction is attributed to demons. Unusual or especially perverse deeds, particularly when performed in public, are symptomatic of a demoniac. Superhuman strength—such as breaking one's bindings, as described in

625-529: A Christian to a largely Muslim country by the end of the 12th century. Another scholar writes that a combination of "repression of Coptic revolts", Arab-Muslim immigration, and Coptic conversion to Islam resulted in the demographic decline of the Copts. Egypt's Umayyad rulers taxed Christians at a higher rate than Muslims, driving merchants towards Islam and undermining the economic base of the Coptic Church. Although

750-447: A Coptic Monastery far away from Cairo in 1981. This exile was short lived, ending when Sadat was assassinated by Muslim extremists a few months later. Under president Hosni Mubarak, Shenouda continued his political stance and often protested persecution of Copts by leaving Cairo and staying in seclusion, which often caused the regime to quickly address issues. Shenouda's political involvement drew criticism from some church members, including

875-692: A church outside the authority of the Roman Catholic papacy" as it was "an ancient church with direct ties to the apostles". According to Daniels, Martin Luther saw that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church practiced elements of faith including " communion under both kinds , vernacular Scriptures, and married clergy" and these practices became customary in the Lutheran churches . The Ethiopian church also rejected papal supremacy , purgatory and indulgences , which

1000-730: A college of electors assembled in Addis Ababa and elected Mathias to be the 6th Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. On 25 July 2018, delegates from the Patriarchate in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and those in the United States, declared reunification in Washington, D.C. Declaring the end of a 26-year-old schism, the church announced that it acknowledges two Patriarchs, Merkorios, Fourth Patriarch of Ethiopia and Mathias I, Sixth Patriarch and Catholicos of Ethiopia, Archbishop of Axum and Ichege of

1125-664: A government focused on defending Sunni Islam. Christians were again discriminated against, and meant to show modesty in their religious ceremonies and buildings. During the Ottoman period, Copts were classified alongside other Oriental Orthodox and Nestorian peoples under the Armenian millet . In 1798, the French invaded Egypt unsuccessfully and the British helped the Turks to regain power over Egypt under

1250-500: A hundred Egyptian copts were killed in sectarian clashes from 2011 to 2017, and many homes and businesses destroyed. In Minya , 77 cases of sectarian attacks on Copts between 2011 and 2016 were documented by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights . Coptic Christian women and girls are often abducted and disappear. In 2015, 21 men traveled to Libya to support their families. There, they would be kidnapped and beheaded by

1375-522: A model for community development, dramatically increasing the scope of community services provided by the church, including: hospitals, adult literacy schools, orphanages, libraries, and community centres. Much of this work was fuelled by donations from wealthy Coptic industrialists and Copts from abroad. Shenouda also held talks with the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, in an effort to promote ecumenism . On 10 May 1973, Pope Shenouda visited

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1500-694: A nationwide protest was postponed. Abune Petros , the Secretary of the Holy Synod announced that the demonstration would be postponed following peaceful talks with the Prime Minister and a government agreement to solve the problem. On 15 February, the Church reached an agreement with the illegally ordinated synod. The government lifted the internet ban after five months on 17 July. The faith and practice of Orthodox Ethiopian Christians include elements from Miaphysite Christianity as it has developed in Ethiopia over

1625-472: A new Patriarch, Paulos , who was recognized by the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria. The former Merkorios then fled abroad, and announced from exile that his abdication had been made under duress and thus he was still the legitimate Patriarch of Ethiopia. Several bishops also went into exile and formed a break-away alternate synod. The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church was granted autocephaly from

1750-697: A new chapter in church history. The initiative in Roman Catholic missions to Ethiopia was taken not by Rome , but by Portugal , in the course of a conflict with the Muslim Ottoman Empire and the Sultanate of Adal for the command of the trade route to India via the Red Sea . In 1507, Mateus , or Matthew, an Armenian , had been sent as an Ethiopian envoy to Portugal. In 1520, an embassy under Dom Rodrigo de Lima landed in Ethiopia. An interesting account of

1875-499: A protective cordon around their Muslim neighbors during salat (prayers) in the midst of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution . While Copts have cited instances of persecution throughout their history, Human Rights Watch has noted growing religious intolerance and sectarian violence against Coptic Christians in recent years, and a failure by the Egyptian government to effectively investigate properly and prosecute those responsible. More than

2000-411: A result, international scholars doubt that the original Ark is truly there. Throughout Ethiopia, Orthodox churches are not considered churches until the local bishop gives them a tabot , a replica of the original Ark of the Covenant. The tabot is at least six inches (15 cm) square, and it is made of either alabaster , marble , or wood (see acacia ). It is always kept in ornate coverings on

2125-506: A river is to be found. The Ethiopian Church, like other Oriental Orthodox churches places a heavier emphasis on Old Testament teachings than one might find in many Eastern Orthodox , Roman Catholic or Protestant churches. Women are prohibited from entering the church temple during menses ; they are also expected to cover their hair with a large scarf (or shash ) while in church, as described in 1 Corinthians, chapter 11. As with Orthodox synagogues , men and women sit separately in

2250-687: A significant step in the Emperor's effort being the founding of the Theological College of the Holy Trinity Church in December 1944. A third development came after Haile Selassie's restoration to Ethiopia, when he issued, on 30 November, Decree Number 2 of 1942, a new law reforming the church. The primary objectives of this decree were to put the finances of the church in order, to create a central fund for its activities, and to set forth requirements for

2375-599: A site called Beta Samati . This is the earliest known physical evidence of a church in sub-Saharan Africa. Union with the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria continued after the Arab conquest of Egypt . Abu Saleh records in the 12th century that the patriarch always sent letters twice a year to the kings of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Nubia , until Al Hakim stopped the practice. Cyril , 67th patriarch, sent Severus as bishop, with orders to put down polygamy and to enforce

2500-528: A year for Coptic Orthodox Christians numbers between 210 and 240. This means that Copts abstain from all animal products for up to two-thirds of each year. The fasts for Advent and Lent are 43 days and 55 days, respectively. In August, before the celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God , Coptic Christians fast 15 days; fasting is also done before the feast of Feast of Saints Peter and Paul , starting from

2625-490: A youth, Frumentius had been shipwrecked with his brother Aedesius on the Eritrean coast. The brothers managed to be brought to the royal court, where they rose to positions of influence and baptized Emperor Ezana . Frumentius is also believed to have established the first monastery in Ethiopia, named Dabba Selama after him. In 2016, archaeologists excavated a 4th-century AD basilica (radio-carbon dated) in northeastern Ethiopia at

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2750-623: Is consubstantial with God the Father . Around 500 bishops within the patriarchates of Alexandria , Antioch , and Jerusalem refused to accept the dyophysitism (two natures) doctrine decreed by the Council of Chalcedon in 451, an incident that resulted in the second major split in the main body of the Catholic-Orthodox Church in the Roman Empire . Tewahedo ( Ge'ez : ተዋሕዶ täwaḥədo )

2875-601: Is Miaphysite, which refers to a conjoined nature for Christ, both human and divine, united indivisibly in the Incarnate Logos. The Muslim invasion of Egypt took place in AD ;639. Relying on eyewitness testimony, Bishop John of Nikiu in his Chronicle provides a graphic account of the invasion from a Coptic perspective. Although the Chronicle has only been preserved in an Ethiopic (Ge'ez) text, some scholars believe that it

3000-482: Is a Ge'ez word meaning "being made one" or "unified". This word refers to the Oriental Orthodox belief in the one composite unified nature of Christ ; i.e., a belief that a complete, natural union of the divine and human natures into one is self-evident to accomplish the divine salvation of humankind. This is in contrast to the "two natures of Christ" belief (unmixed, but unseparated divine and human natures, called

3125-626: Is a good creed, that is, faith". In addition, Martin Luther stated that the Lutheran Mass agreed with that used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. As a result, Luther invited the Ethiopian church and Michael to full fellowship. In more modern times, the Ethiopian Church has experienced a series of developments. The 19th century witnessed the publication of an Amharic translation of the Bible. Largely

3250-623: Is an Oriental Orthodox Christian church based in Egypt . The head of the church and the See of Alexandria is the pope of Alexandria on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark , who also carries the title of Father of fathers, Shepherd of shepherds, Ecumenical Judge and the 13th among the Apostles. The See of Alexandria is titular . The Coptic pope presides from Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in

3375-605: Is an example of the basilican design, though the early basilicas are nearly all in ruin. These examples show the influence of the architects who, in the 6th century, built the basilicas at Sanʻāʼ and elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula . There are two forms of native churches: one oblong, traditionally found in Tigray ; the other circular, traditionally found in Amhara and Shewa (though either style may be found elsewhere). In both forms,

3500-523: Is commanded in no other name than the name of Jesus." The Old Testament Books: The New Testament Books: The divine services of the Ethiopian Church are celebrated in Geʽez , which has been the liturgical language of the church at least since the arrival of the Nine Saints (Pantelewon, Gerima (Isaac, or Yeshaq), Aftse, Guba, Alef, Yem’ata, Liqanos, and Sehma), who are believed to have fled persecution by

3625-409: Is defined as going without meat or dairy. With respect to Eucharistic discipline , Coptic Orthodox Christians fast from midnight onwards (or at least nine hours) prior to receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion . They fast every Wednesday and Friday of the year (Wednesdays in remembrance of the betrayal of Christ, and on Fridays in remembrance of His crucifixion and death). In total, fast days in

3750-466: Is discouraged from being eaten, the Coptic Church does not forbid its members from consuming any particular type of food, unlike in Islam or Judaism . All churches of the Coptic Orthodox Church are designed to face the eastward direction of prayer and efforts are made to remodel churches obtained from other Christian denominations that are not built in this fashion. In Coptic Orthodox Christianity, fasting

3875-531: Is eaten by the faithful. During the 40-day Advent fast, only one vegan meal is allowed per day. In addition to standard holy days, most Christians observe many saints' days. A man might give a small feast on his personal saint's day. The local voluntary association (called the maheber ) connected with each church honours its patron saint with a special service and a feast two or three times a year. Priests intervene and perform exorcisms on behalf of those believed to be afflicted by demons or buda . According to

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4000-503: Is given only to those who feel pure, have fasted regularly, and have, in general, properly conducted themselves. In practice, communion is mainly limited to young children and the elderly; those who are at a sexually active age or who have sexual desires generally do not receive the Eucharist. Worshipers receiving communion may enter the middle ring of the church to do so. Ethiopian Orthodox believers are strict Trinitarians , maintaining

4125-459: Is important to Ethiopian liturgy and divided into fourteen Anaphoras, the normal use being of the Twelve Apostles. In ancient times, there were six Anaphoras used by many monasteries. Since 1959, when the church was granted autocephaly by Cyril VI , Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria , an Ethiopian Patriarch-Catholicos of Eritrea also carrying the title of Abuna is the head of

4250-774: Is in communion with the other Oriental Orthodox churches (the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church , the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria , the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church , the Armenian Apostolic Church , and the Syriac Orthodox Church ). The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church had been administratively part of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria from the first half of the 4th century until 1959, when it

4375-636: Is offering prayer before a holy God. During each of the seven fixed prayer times, Coptic Orthodox Christians pray "prostrating three times in the name of the Trinity ; at the end of each Psalm … while saying the 'Alleluia';" and 41 times for each of the Kyrie eleisons present in a canonical hour. In the Coptic Orthodox Church, it is customary for women to wear a Christian headcovering when praying. The Coptic Orthodox Church observes days of ritual purification . However, while meat that still contains blood after cooking

4500-496: Is offering prayer before a holy God. Ethiopian Orthodox worshippers remove their shoes when entering a church temple, in accordance with Exodus 3:5 (in which Moses , while viewing the burning bush , was commanded to remove his shoes while standing on holy ground). Furthermore, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is known to observe the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday, or the lesser Sabbath), in addition to

4625-517: Is shared by 3rd and 4th century writers such as Eusebius of Caesarea and Origen of Alexandria . Early Christianity became the established church of the Ethiopian Axumite Kingdom under king Ezana in the 4th century when priesthood and the sacraments were brought for the first time through a Syrian Greek named Frumentius , known by the local population in Ethiopia as "Selama, Kesaté Birhan" ("Father of Peace, Revealer of Light"). As

4750-732: Is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches . One of the few Christian churches in sub-Saharan Africa originating before European colonization of the continent, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church dates back to the Christianization of the Kingdom of Aksum in 330 , and has between 36 million and 51 million adherents in Ethiopia . It is a founding member of the World Council of Churches . The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

4875-515: Is used to preserve Egypt's original language, which was banned by the Arab invaders, who ordered Arabic to be used instead. However, most Copts speak Arabic , the official language of Egypt. Hence, Arabic is also used in church services nowadays. The service books, though written in Coptic, have the Arabic text in parallel columns. The Catechetical School of Alexandria is the oldest catechetical school in

5000-695: The Abbassia District in Cairo . The church follows the Coptic Rite for its liturgy, prayer and devotional patrimony. Adherents of the Coptic Orthodox Church make up Egypt's largest and most significant minority population, and the largest population of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) . They make up the largest share of the approximately 20 million Christians in Egypt. The Coptic Orthodox Church

5125-686: The Agpeya to pray the canonical hours at seven fixed prayer times while facing in the eastward direction , in anticipation of the Second Coming of Jesus ; this Christian practice has its roots in Psalm 119:164, in which the prophet David prays to God seven times a day. Church bells enjoin Christians to pray at these hours. Before praying, they wash their hands and face to be clean before and present their best to God; shoes are removed to acknowledge that one

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5250-551: The Byzantine Empire after the Council of Chalcedon (451). The Greek Septuagint was the version of the Old Testament originally translated into Ge'ez, but later revisions show clear evidence of the use of Hebrew , Syriac and Arabic sources. The first translation into a modern vernacular was done in the 19th century by a man usually known as Abu Rumi (died 1819). Later, Haile Selassie sponsored Amharic translations of

5375-506: The Council of Chalcedon . When, in AD 451, Emperor Marcian attempted to heal divisions in the church, the response of Pope Dioscorus –the Pope of Alexandria who was later exiled–was that the emperor should not intervene in the affairs of the church. It was at Chalcedon that the emperor, through the imperial delegates, enforced harsh disciplinary measures against Pope Dioscorus in response to his boldness. In AD 449, Pope Dioscorus headed

5500-598: The Didascalia . The nature of the Sabbath only became a doctrinal dispute in the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria in the centuries leading up to the issue being rectified by Ewostatewos . The emperor Gelawdewos in his Confession , an apologia of traditional beliefs and practices explicitly says "we do not honour it as the Jews do... but we so honour it that we celebrate thereon the Eucharist and have love-feasts, even as our Fathers

5625-409: The Holy Spirit : We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified who spoke by the Prophets and in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic church. We confess one Baptism for the remission of sins and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the coming age, Amen Another theological dispute in

5750-480: The Kandake (Candace) Queen of Ethiopia in charge of all her treasure. (Acts, 8:26–27) The passage continues by describing how Philip helped the Ethiopian treasurer understand a passage from the Book of Isaiah that the Ethiopian was reading. After Philip interpreted the passage as prophecy referring to Jesus Christ , the Ethiopian requested that Philip baptize him, and Philip did so. The Ethiopic version of this verse reads "Hendeke" (ህንደኬ); Queen Gersamot Hendeke VII

5875-408: The Lord's Day (Sunday, or the Christian Sabbath), although more emphasis, because of the Resurrection of Christ, is laid upon Sunday. While the Ethiopian Church is known for this practice, it is neither an innovation nor unique to it, deriving from the Apostolic Constitutions and the Apostolic Canons the former of which without the Apostolic Canons included is in the church's 81-book canon as

6000-416: The New Testament , or Həggä Wongel (ሕገ ወንጌል). A hierarchy of K'ədusan ቅዱሳን (angelic messengers and saints) conveys the prayers of the faithful to God and carries out the divine will, so when an Ethiopian Christian is in difficulty, he or she appeals to them as well as to God. In more formal and regular rituals, priests communicate on behalf of the community, and only priests may enter the inner sanctum of

6125-430: The Roman Catholic Church among others. Ethiopian Church tradition tells that Bartholomew accompanied Matthew in a mission which lasted for at least three months. Paintings depicting these missions can be seen in the Church of St. Matthew found in the Province of Pisa , in northern Italy portrayed by Francesco Trevisan (1650–1740) and Marco Benefial (1688–1764). The earliest account of an Ethiopian converted to

6250-461: The hypostatic union ) which is held by the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church . The Oriental Orthodox Churches are known as " non-Chalcedonian ", and, sometimes by outsiders as " monophysite " (meaning "One Single Nature", in allusion to Jesus Christ). However, these churches themselves describe their Christology as miaphysite , meaning "one united nature" about Jesus (the Greek equivalent of "Tewahedo"). John Chrysostom speaks of

6375-413: The state church . The new Marxist government began nationalizing property (including land) owned by the church. Tewophilos was arrested in 1976 by the Marxist Derg military junta , and secretly executed in 1979. The government ordered the church to elect a new Patriarch, and Takla Haymanot was enthroned. The Coptic Orthodox Church refused to recognize the election and enthronement of Tekle Haymanot on

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6500-458: The "Ethiopians present in Jerusalem" as being able to understand the preaching of Peter in Acts , 2:38. Possible missions of some of the Apostles in the lands now called Ethiopia is also reported as early as the 4th century. Socrates of Constantinople includes Ethiopia in his list as one of the regions preached by Matthew the Apostle , where a specific mention of "Ethiopia south of the Caspian Sea" can be confirmed in some traditions such as

6625-400: The 12th century, the church relocated its seat from Alexandria to Cairo. The same century also saw the Copts become a religious minority. During the 14th and 15th centuries, Nubian Christianity was supplanted by Islam. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the larger body of ethnic Egyptian Christians began to call themselves Coptic Orthodox, to distinguish themselves from the Catholic Copts and from

6750-419: The 2nd Council of Ephesus, called the " Robber Council " by Chalcedonian historians. It held to the Miaphysite formula which upheld the Christology of "One Incarnate Nature of God the Word" ( Greek : μία φύσις Θεοῦ Λόγου σεσαρκωμένη ( mia physis Theou Logou sesarkōmenē )). In terms of Christology, the Oriental Orthodox (Non-Chalcedonians) understanding is that Christ is "One Nature—the Logos Incarnate," of

6875-412: The 4th century, an Alexandrian presbyter named Arius began a theological dispute about the nature of Christ that spread throughout the Christian world and is now known as Arianism . The Council of Nicea in AD 325 was convened by Emperor Constantine I after Pope Alexander I of Alexandria requested to hold a council to respond to heresies, under the presidency of Hosius of Cordova to resolve

7000-438: The 5th century occurred over the teachings of Nestorius , the patriarch of Constantinople who taught that God the Word was not hypostatically joined with human nature, but rather dwelt in the man Jesus. As a consequence of this, he denied the title "Mother of God" ( Theotokos ) to the Virgin Mary , declaring her instead to be "Mother of Christ" Christotokos . The council confirmed the teachings of Athanasius and confirmed

7125-442: The Apostles have taught us in the Didascalia". The Ethiopian Church does not call for circumcision, yet it is a cultural practice, as is abstention from pork and other meats deemed unclean. It is not regarded as being necessary to salvation. The liturgy explicitly mentions, "let us not be circumcised like the Jews." The Ethiopian Orthodox Church observes days of ritual purification . People who are ritually unclean may approach

7250-446: The Article 11 of the FDRE Constitution . On 4 February, three people were reportedly killed in Shashemene by the Oromia Special Forces . According Tewahedo Media Center (TMC), two Orthodox youth were killed and four others were injured by the Oromo Special Forces. Abune Henok, Archbishop of Addis Ababa Diocese described it as "shameful and heart-wrenching". In response to grievance, numerous celebrities expressed their solidarity to

7375-422: The Church via social media and other platforms and donned black clothing during three-days Fast of Nineveh . On 9 February, the government imposed restrictions on social sites targeted to Facebook , Messenger , Telegram and TikTok . On the next day, the delegation of Synod held an urgent meeting with Abiy at his office, which resulted in condemnation of the proclaimed Oromia Synod from Abiy. On 12 February,

7500-518: The Coptic Church did not disappear, the Umayyad tax policies made it difficult for the church to retain the Egyptian elites. In 969, Egypt entered the Fatimid dynasty (in Egypt from 969 to 1171), who adopted a largely favorable attitude toward the Christians. The major exception to this was the persecution led by Caliph al-Hakim between 1004 and 1013, which included clothing regulations, prohibition of publicly celebrating Christian festivals, and dismissal of Christian and Jewish functionaries. However, at

7625-411: The Coptic Church underwent phases of new development. In 1853, Pope Cyril IV established the first modern Coptic schools, including the first Egyptian school for girls. He also founded a printing press, which was only the second national press in the country. The pope established very friendly relations with other denominations, to the extent that when the Greek Patriarch in Egypt had to absent himself from

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7750-402: The Coptic Church was founded by Mark the Evangelist c.  AD 42 , and regards itself as the subject of many prophecies in the Old Testament . The first Christians in Egypt were common people who spoke Egyptian Coptic . There were also Alexandrian Jewish people such as Theophilus , the same name addressed in the introductory chapter of the Gospel of Luke , though it is unclear who

7875-425: The Coptic language. In 1959, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church was granted its first own Patriarch Abuna Basilios by Pope Cyril VI . Furthermore, the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church similarly became independent of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in 1994, when four bishops were consecrated by Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria to form the basis of a local Holy Synod of the Eritrean Church. In 1998,

8000-416: The Coptic world as the Seven Major Feasts. Major feasts are always preceded by fasts. Additionally, the Coptic Orthodox Church also has Seven Minor Feasts: the Circumcision of the Lord, Entrance into the Temple, Entrance into Egypt, Transfiguration, Maundy Thursday , Thomas Sunday, and Great Lent . Furthermore, there are several indigenous feasts of the Theotokos . There are also other feasts commemorating

8125-424: The Derg regime than it had expected, and so when the patriarch died in 1988, a new patriarch with closer ties to the regime was sought. The Archbishop of Gondar , a member of the Derg-era Ethiopian Parliament, was elected and enthroned as Abuna Merkorios . Following the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, and the coming to power of the EPRDF government, Merkorios abdicated under public pressure. The church then elected

8250-409: The Eastern Orthodox, who are mostly Greek. In 1959, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church was granted autocephaly . This was extended to the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church in 1998 following the successful Eritrean War of Independence from Ethiopia . Since the 2011 Egyptian revolution , Coptic Christians have suffered increased religious discrimination and violence. According to tradition,

8375-489: The Egyptian regime, often resorting to advocacy instead. In 2020, a woman in Florida accused a former priest of sexual assault when she was a minor. She claimed that he was defrocked in 2014, but continued presenting himself as a priest. In response, the synod issued a public statement disavowing him and instituted anti-abuse measures. Several diocese in North America and Europe, issued statements in support of sexual assault survivors. On 10 May 2023, Pope Tawadros visited

8500-402: The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church gained its autocephaly from the Coptic Orthodox Church when its first Patriarch was enthroned by Pope Shenouda III. Since the 1980s theologians from the Oriental (non-Chalcedonian) Orthodox and Eastern (Chalcedonian) Orthodox churches have been meeting in a bid to resolve theological differences, and have concluded that many of the differences are caused by

8625-455: The Ethiopian Orthodox Church on 28 September 1993 following ratification by Coptic church Patriarch Shenouda III . The schism has met opposition from dissent that saw it as a disintegration of Ethiopia's spiritual heritage. As of 2005, there are many Ethiopian Orthodox churches located throughout the United States and other countries to which Ethiopians have migrated (Archbishop Yesehaq 1997). Paulos died on 16 August 2012. On 28 February 2013,

8750-408: The Ethiopian church, with men on the left and women on the right (when facing the altar). (Women covering their heads and separation of the sexes in churches officially is common to few other Christian traditions; it is also the rule in some non-Christian religions, Islam and Orthodox Judaism among them). Before praying, the Ethiopian Orthodox remove their shoes in order to acknowledge that one

8875-422: The Ge'ez Scriptures during his reign (1930–1974): one in 1935 before World War II and one afterwards (1960–1961). Sermons today are usually delivered in the local language. There are many monolithic (rock-hewn) churches in Ethiopia, most famously eleven churches at Lalibela . Besides these, two main types of architecture are found—one basilican , the other native. The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion at Axum

9000-672: The Holy Apostolic See of St. Mark , and the Melkite or Imperial patriarch, now known as the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria . Almost the entire Egyptian population rejected the terms of the Council of Chalcedon and remained faithful to the native Egyptian Church (now known as the Coptic Orthodox Church). By anathematizing Pope Leo because of the tone and content of his tome, as per Alexandrine Theology perception, Pope Dioscorus

9125-517: The Islamic State in Libya. Under Pope Shenouda , from 1971 to 2012, the church underwent a large transformation. Writing in 2013, the theologian Samuel Tadros stated "Today's Coptic Church as an institution is built solely on his vision". For the first time in its history, the synod codiefied its internal laws. It also established numerous coptic institutions within and outside of Egypt. Shenouda raised

9250-569: The Lutherans disagreed with, and thus for Luther, the Ethiopian church was the "true forerunner of Protestantism ". Luther believed that the Ethiopian church kept true apostolic practices which the Lutherans would adopt through reading the scriptures. In 1534, a cleric of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Michael the Deacon , met with Martin Luther and affirmed the Augsburg Confession , saying "This

9375-522: The Muhammad Ali dynasty. The position of Copts began to improve early in the 19th century under the stability and tolerance of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty . The Coptic community ceased to be regarded by the state as an administrative unit. In 1855 the jizya tax was abolished by Sa'id Pasha. Shortly thereafter, the Copts started to serve in the Egyptian army. Towards the end of the 19th century,

9500-517: The New Testament accounts—along with glossolalia are observed in the afflicted. Amsalu Geleta, in a modern case study, relates elements that are common to Ethiopian Christian exorcisms: It includes singing praise and victory songs, reading from the Scripture, prayer and confronting the spirit in the name of Jesus. Dialogue with the spirit is another important part of the exorcism ceremony. It helps

9625-718: The Orthodox teaching that God is united in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This concept is known as səllase (ሥላሴ), Ge'ez for "Trinity". Daily services constitute only a small part of an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian's religious observance. Several holy days require prolonged services, singing and dancing, and feasting. An important religious requirement, however, is the keeping of fast days, during which adherents abstain from consuming meat and animal products, and refrain from sexual activity. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has 250 fasting days, 180 of which are obligatory for laypeople, not just monks and priests, when vegan food

9750-581: The Portuguese mission, which lasted for several years, was written by Francisco Álvares , its chaplain. Later, Ignatius Loyola wished to take up the task of conversion, but was forbidden to do so. Instead, the pope sent out João Nunes Barreto as patriarch of the East Indies, with Andre de Oviedo as bishop; and from Goa envoys went to Ethiopia, followed by Oviedo himself, to secure the king's adherence to Rome. After repeated failures some measure of success

9875-583: The Saviour of the world. Glory to you O our Master and King: Christ, the pride of the Apostles, the crown of the martyrs, the rejoicing of the righteous, firmness of the churches and the forgiveness of sins. We proclaim the Holy Trinity in One Godhead: we worship Him, we glorify Him, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord bless us, Amen. The church of Alexandria was part in communion with the rest of Christendom until

10000-635: The See of Saint Taklehaimanot. On 22 January 2023, an attempt to overthrow Abune Mathias was failed following a secret formation of new 26-made bishop Synod led by Abune Sawiros in Oromia Region diocese, such as in Haro Beale Wold Church in Woliso , and nine bishops of diocese outside the region. The Patriarchate called it an "illegal appointment", where Abune Mathias decried it as "great event that has targeted

10125-535: The Vatican to celebrate Coptic Catholic Friendship day and the 50 year anniversary of the meeting between Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda. Pope Francis announced that the 21 Coptic Martyrs killed by ISIS in Libya in 2015 would be added to the Catholic Roman Martyrology. Pope Tawadros gifted relics from each of the 21 martyrs to the Vatican. Communicants of the Coptic Orthodox Church use a breviary known as

10250-463: The Vatican, where a joint Christological declaration was issued jointly by the Coptic Orthodox and Catholic churches. Pope Shenouda III also increased the Church's involvement in politics, seeing it as a way to advocate for the interest of Copts, during the rise of Islamism in Egypt and increase in terrorist attacks. The president of Egypt, Anwar Sadat ordered that Shenouda be put into exile in

10375-626: The Word of God incarnate" (μία φύσις τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου σεσαρκωμένη) and a hypostatic union (ἕνωσις καθ' ὑπόστασιν, henōsis kath hypostasis ). The distinction of this stance was that the incarnate Christ has one nature, but that one nature is of the two natures, divine and human, and retains all the characteristics of both after the union. Miaphysitism holds that in the one person of Jesus Christ , divinity and humanity are united in one (μία, mia ) nature (φύσις - " physis ") without separation, without confusion, without alteration and without mixing where Christ

10500-462: The altar. Only priests are allowed to see or touch the tabot . In an elaborate procession, the tabot is carried around the outside of the church amid joyful song on the feast day of that particular church's namesake. On the great Feast of T'imk'et , known as Epiphany or Theophany in Europe, a group of churches send their tabot to celebrate the occasion at a common location where a pool of water or

10625-500: The appointment of clergy—which had been fairly lax until then. The Coptic and Ethiopian churches reached an agreement on 13 July 1948, that led to autocephaly for the Ethiopian Church. Five bishops were immediately consecrated by the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa, empowered to elect a new patriarch for their church, and the successor to Qerellos IV would have the power to consecrate new bishops. This promotion

10750-666: The author refers to. The Coptic language is a universal language used in Coptic churches in every country. It descends from Ancient Egyptian and uses the Coptic alphabet , a script descended from the Greek alphabet with added characters derived from the Demotic script . Today, the Bohairic dialect of Coptic is used primarily for liturgical purposes. Many of the hymns in the liturgy are in Coptic and have been passed down for many centuries. The language

10875-431: The biggest Christian community in the Arab world. Estimates of their numbers vary, but generally range between 4.7 and 7.1 million. The majority of them live in Egypt under the jurisdiction of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Since 2006, Egyptian censuses have not reported on religion and church leaders have alleged that Christians were under-counted in government surveys. In 2017, a government owned newspaper Al Ahram estimated

11000-597: The centuries. Christian beliefs include belief in God (in Ge'ez / Amharic, ′Egziabeher , lit. "Lord of the Universe"), veneration of the Virgin Mary, the angels, and the saints, besides others. According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church itself, there are no non-Christian elements in the religion other than those from the Old Testament , or Həggä 'Orät (ሕገ ኦሪት), to which are added those from

11125-532: The church but are not permitted to enter it; they instead stand near the church door and pray during the liturgy. Rugare Rukuni and Erna Oliver identify the Nine Saints as Jewish Christians , and attribute the Judaic character of Ethiopian Christianity, in part, to their influence. A debtera is an itinerant lay priest figure (not a member of the priesthood) trained by the Ethiopian Church to function principally as

11250-434: The church". After not apologising for the illegal ordination, three Archbishops were excommunicated by the Holy Synod on 26 January. On 31 January 2023, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed convened a discussion surrounding the incident where he responded he is ready to resolve the conflict. The speech led backlash from the Holy Synod and accused his government of meddling in the Church in reference to separation of church and state in

11375-402: The counsellor (exorcist) to know how the spirit was operating in the life of the demoniac. The signs and events mentioned by the spirit are affirmed by the victim after deliverance. The exorcism is not always successful, and Geleta notes another instance in which the usual methods were unsuccessful, and the demons apparently left the subject at a later time. In any event, "in all cases the spirit

11500-757: The country for a long period of time, he left his church under the guidance of the Coptic patriarch. The Theological College of the School of Alexandria was reestablished in 1893. It began its new history with five students, one of whom was later to become its dean. Today it has campuses in Alexandria and Cairo, and in various dioceses throughout Egypt, as well as outside Egypt. It has campuses in New Jersey, Los Angeles, Sydney, Melbourne, and London, where potential clergymen and other qualified men and women study many subjects, including theology, church history, missionary studies, and

11625-401: The current patriarch. Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria maintains relations with the Egyptian government and other churches. However, while Shenouda was critical of the expanded influence of Protestant teaching and books in Coptic churches, Tawadros has increased ecumenical dialogue with several Protestant churches. Tawadros is also not as involved political protests and does not publicly criticize

11750-436: The day of Pentecost . Married couples refrain from sexual relations during Lent "to give themselves time for fasting and prayer". Christmas has been a national holiday in Egypt since 2003. It is the only Christian holiday in Egypt. Coptic Christmas, which usually falls on January 6 or 7 is a major feast. Other major feasts are Epiphany , Palm Sunday , Easter , Pentecost, Ascension , and Annunciation . These are known in

11875-672: The dispute. This eventually led to the formulation of the Symbol of Faith, also known as the Nicene Creed . In the year AD 381, Pope Timothy I of Alexandria presided over the second ecumenical council known as the First Council of Constantinople , to judge Macedonius, who denied the Divinity of the Holy Spirit. This council completed the Nicene Creed with this confirmation of the divinity of

12000-594: The divine salvation of mankind, as opposed to the " two natures of Christ " belief commonly held by the Latin and Eastern Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Anglican , Lutheran , and most other Protestant churches . The Oriental Orthodox Churches adhere to a miaphysite Christological view followed by Cyril of Alexandria , the leading protagonist in the Christological debates of the 4th and 5th centuries, who advocated "mia physis tou Theo logou sesarkōmenē", or "one (mia) nature of

12125-430: The end of his reign al-Hakim rescinded these measures, allowing the Copts to regain privileged positions within the administration. The Coptic patriarchal residence moved from Alexandria to Cairo during the patriarchate of Cyril II (1078–92) . This move was at the demand of the grand vizier Badr al-Jamali , who insisted that the pope establish himself in the capital. When Saladin entered Egypt in 1163, this ushered in

12250-618: The faith in the New Testament books is a royal official baptized by Philip the Evangelist (distinct from Philip the Apostle ), one of the seven deacons (Acts, 8:26–27): Then the angel of the Lord said to Philip, Start out and go south to the road that leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza. So he set out and was on his way when he caught sight of an Ethiopian . This man was a eunuch, a high official of

12375-486: The full humanity and full divinity. The Chalcedonians' understanding is that Christ is recognized in two natures, full humanity and full divinity. Oriental Orthodoxy contends that such a formulation is no different from what the Nestorians teach. From that point onward, Alexandria would have two patriarchs: the non-Chalcedonian native Egyptian one, now known as the Coptic pope of Alexandria and patriarch of All Africa on

12500-485: The grounds that the Synod of the Ethiopian Church had not removed Tewophilos and that the government had not publicly acknowledged his death, and he was thus still the legitimate Patriarch of Ethiopia. Formal relations between the two churches were halted, although they remained in communion with each other. Formal relations between the two churches resumed on July 13, 2007. Tekle Haymanot proved to be much less accommodating to

12625-433: The martyrdom of important saints from Coptic history. Available Egyptian census figures and other third-party survey reports have not reported more than 4 million Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt. However media and other agencies, sometimes taking into account the claims of the church itself, generally approximate the Coptic Orthodox population at 10% of the Egyptian population or 10 million people. Egyptian Copts are

12750-474: The number of bishops from 26 to 117 and ordained hundreds of priests, which greatly reduced the influence of any one bishop. Shenouda also instituted a yearly meeting of the synod, which greatly expanded the number of laws governing the church. This included instituting church curriculums for the education of new priests, new deacons, and newly weds. For the first time in the Coptic Church's modern history, women could become ordained as deacons. The synod also adopted

12875-502: The observance of canonical consecration for all churches. These examples show the close relations of the two churches throughout the Middle Ages . In 1439, in the reign of Zara Yaqob , a religious discussion between Giyorgis and a French visitor led to the dispatch of an embassy from Ethiopia to the Vatican . The period of Jesuit influence, which broke the connection with Egypt, began

13000-704: The percentage of Copts at 10 to 15% and the membership claimed by the Coptic Orthodox Church is in the range of 20 to 25 million. There are also significant numbers in the diaspora outside Africa in countries such as the United States , Canada , Australia , France , and Germany . The exact number of Egyptian born Coptic Orthodox Christians in the diaspora is hard to determine and is roughly estimated to be close to 1 million. Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church ( Amharic : የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋሕዶ ቤተ ክርስቲያን , romanized :  Yä-ityopp'ya ortodoks täwahədo betä krəstiyan )

13125-587: The prominent monk Father Matta El Meskeen . On 17 March 2012, the Coptic Orthodox Pope , Pope Shenouda III died, leaving many Copts mourning and worrying as tensions rose with Muslims . Pope Shenouda III constantly met with Muslim leaders in order to create peace. Many were worried about Muslims controlling Egypt as the Muslim Brotherhood won 70% of the parliamentary elections. Shenouda's approach to church leadership has, in part, been adopted by

13250-500: The sanctuary is square and stands clear in the centre, and the arrangements are based on Jewish tradition. Walls and ceilings are adorned with frescoes . A courtyard , circular or rectangular, surrounds the body of the church. Modern Ethiopian churches may incorporate the basilican or native styles and use contemporary construction techniques and materials. In rural areas, the church and outer court are often thatched , with mud-built walls. The church buildings are typically surrounded by

13375-688: The state religion. He then in 1633 expelled the Jesuits, and in 1665 Fasilides ordered that all Jesuit books (the Books of the Franks) be burned. David Daniels has suggested that the Ethiopian Church has had a stronger impact on the Reformation than most scholars acknowledge. For Martin Luther , who spearheaded the Reformation , Daniels says "the Ethiopian Church conferred legitimacy on Luther's emerging Protestant vision of

13500-501: The sword thousands of its inhabitants and of the soldiers, and they gained an enormous booty, and took the women and children captive and divided them amongst themselves, and they made that city a desolation. Though critical of the Muslim commander ( Amr ibn al-As ), who, during the campaign, he says "had no mercy on the Egyptians, and did not observe the covenant they had made with him, for he

13625-543: The title of Mary as " Mother of God ". It also clearly stated that anyone who separated Christ into two hypostases was anathema, as Cyril had said that there is "One Nature for God the Word Incarnate" ( Mia Physis tou Theou Logou Sesarkōmenē ). The introduction to the creed is formulated as follows: We magnify you O Mother of the True Light and we glorify you O saint and Mother of God (Theotokos) for you have borne unto us

13750-442: The two groups using different terminology to describe the same thing. In the summer of 2001, the Coptic Orthodox and Greek Orthodox patriarchates of Alexandria agreed to mutually recognize baptisms performed in each other's churches, making re-baptisms unnecessary, and to recognize the sacrament of marriage as celebrated by the other. In Tahrir Square , Cairo, on Wednesday 2 February 2011, Coptic Christians joined hands to provide

13875-419: The usually circular or octagonal church where the tabot ("ark") dedicated to the church's patron saint is housed. On important religious holidays, the tabot is carried on the head of a priest and escorted in procession outside the church. It is the tabot, not the church, which is consecrated. At many services, most parish members remain in the outer ring, where debteras sing hymns and dance. The Eucharist

14000-442: The waters of Sidi Bishr, where the coast wasn't so rocky. In 1928, Sidi Bishr was a picturesque place on the edge of the desert and a decade later had been transformed with the extension of The Corniche . People visited Sidi Bishr's three beaches from around the world, making it cosmopolitan and a fashionable place to be. Lawrence Durrell 's Justine describes the beach at Sidi Bishr as "a place where beautiful women from all over

14125-450: The work of Abu Rumi over ten years in Cairo, this version, with some changes, held sway until Emperor Haile Selassie ordered a new translation which appeared in 1960/1. Haile Selassie also played a prominent role in further reforms of the church, which included encouraging the distribution of Abu Rumi's translation throughout Ethiopia, as well as his promotion of improved education of clergy,

14250-634: The world donned bikinis". Since the Egyptian revolution of 1952 , women no longer wear bikinis to public Egyptian beaches. Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria The Coptic Orthodox Church ( Coptic : Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ , romanized:  Ti-eklisia en-remenkimi en-orthodhoxos , lit.   'the Egyptian Orthodox Church';), also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria ,

14375-511: The world. Jerome records that the Christian School of Alexandria was founded by Mark himself. The theological college of the catechetical school was re-established in 1893. The school became a leading center of the allegorical method of biblical interpretation, espoused a rapprochement between Greek culture and Christian faith, and attempted to assert orthodox Christian teachings against heterodox views in an era of doctrinal flux. In

14500-412: Was achieved under Emperor Susenyos I , but not until 1624 did the Emperor make formal submission to the pope . Susenyos made Roman Catholicism the official state religion but was met with heavy resistance by his subjects and by the authorities of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and eventually had to abdicate in 1632 in favour of his son, Fasilides , who promptly restored Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity as

14625-405: Was completed when Coptic Orthodox Pope Joseph II consecrated an Ethiopian-born Archbishop, Abuna Basilios , 14 January 1951. Then in 1959, Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria crowned Basilios as the first Patriarch of Ethiopia. Basilios died in 1970, and was succeeded that year by Tewophilos . With the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church was disestablished as

14750-685: Was established by Mark, an apostle and evangelist , during the middle of the 1st century ( c.  AD 42 ). Due to disputes concerning the nature of Christ , the Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church were in schism after the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, resulting in a conflict with the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria . After AD 639, Egypt was ruled by its Islamic conquerors from Arabia . In

14875-571: Was forcibly prevented from attending the third congregation of the council from which he was ousted, apparently the result of a conspiracy tailored by the Roman delegates. Before the current positive era of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox dialogues, Chalcedonians sometimes used to call the non-Chalcedonians " Monophysites ", though the Coptic Orthodox Church in reality regards Monophysitism as a heresy. The Chalcedonian doctrine in turn came to be known as " Dyophysite ". A term that comes closer to Coptic Orthodoxy

15000-513: Was found guilty of doing so without due process; in other words, the Tome of Leo was not a subject of heresy in the first place, but it was a question of questioning the reasons behind not having it either acknowledged or read at the Second Council of Ephesus in AD 449. Pope Dioscorus of Alexandria was never labeled as a heretic by the council's canons. Copts also believe that the pope of Alexandria

15125-467: Was granted autocephaly with its own patriarch by Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria , Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church . Tewahedo ( Ge'ez : ተዋሕዶ täwaḥədo ) is a Geʽez word meaning "united as one". This word refers to the Oriental Orthodox belief in the one perfectly unified nature of Christ ; i.e., a complete union of the divine and human natures into one nature is self-evident to accomplish

15250-450: Was of a barbaric race", he does note that following the completion of the conquest, Amr "took none of the property of the Churches, and he committed no act of spoilation or plunder, and he preserved them throughout all his days." Despite the political upheaval, the Egyptian population remained mainly Christian. However, gradual conversions to Islam over the centuries had changed Egypt from

15375-460: Was originally written in Coptic. John's account is critical of the invaders who he says "despoiled the Egyptians of their possessions and dealt cruelly with them", and he details the atrocities committed by the Muslims against the native population during the conquest: And when with great toil and exertion they had cast down the walls of the city, they forthwith made themselves masters of it, and put to

15500-522: Was the Queen of Ethiopia from c. 42 to 52. Where the possibility of gospel missions by the Ethiopian eunuch cannot be directly inferred from the Books of the New Testament, Irenaeus of Lyons around 180 AD writes that "Simon Backos" preached the good news in his homeland outlining also the theme of his preaching as being the coming in flesh of God that "was preached to you all before." The same kind of witness

15625-560: Was the scene of five bombs which exploded, injuring many civilians. Years after the Revolution of 2011 , Muslim Brotherhood continue to respond to Morsi 's overthrow and to the crackdown on members of their organization. During World War I, there was an internment camp at Sidi Bishr, and Manwel Dimech was imprisoned there. During the war it was also the scene where the Mediterranean Forces camped and trained and occasionally enjoyed

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