The Coptic Church was established in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ by St. Mark the Evangelist in the city of
Alexandria around 43 A.D. The church adheres to the Nicene Creed.
St. Athanasius (296-373 A.D.), the twentieth Pope of the Coptic
Church effectively defended the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ's
Divinity at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. His affirmation of the
doctrine earned him the title; "Father of Orthodoxy"
and St. Athanasius "the Apostolic".
The term "Coptic" is derived
from the Greek "Aigyptos" meaning "Egyptian".
When the Arabs arrived in Egypt in the seventh century, they
called the Egyptians "qibt". Thus the Arabic
word "qibt" came to mean both "Egyptians"
and "Christians".
The term "Orthodoxy" here refers to the
preservation of the "Original Faith" by the
Copts who, throughout the ages, defended the Old Creed against
the numerous attacks aimed at it.
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 Saviour of the world.
Less changes have taken place in the Coptic Church than in any other
church whether in the ritual or doctrine aspects and that the
succession of the Coptic Patriarchs, Bishops, priests and Deacons
has been continuous.
