Saint Macarius The Great Coptic Orthodox Church

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Meaning of Coptic

“Coptic” means Egyptian. “Coptic” as a term is derived from the Greek word “Aegyptus” and the Latin “Coptus”, which means “Country of the Copts/Egyptians”.

“Coptic Language” is the latest phase of the ancient Egyptian language, which is still in use in Coptic churches preserving the culture of Egypt

Who Are the Copts?

The Copts are the Christians of Egypt. They are the direct sons of the ancient Egyptians and the heirs of its pharaohnic civilization. They live mainly in Egypt and some of them migrated to many countries allover the world as of the 20th century establishing Coptic churches allover the world. “Copts” was used to mean “Egyptians”, but after the Arab conquest to Egypt, “Copts” has been used to refer to Christian Egyptians.

What is the meaning of Orthodox?

The word “Orthodox” refers that the Copts are preservers of the straight faith delivered by Jesus Christ, His holy disciples and apostles, and the early fathers of the Church.

Egypt in the Bible

Egypt is mentioned in the Holy Bible for 697 times from Genesis to Revelations. It is mentioned in the Old Testament for 670 times, while in the New Testament for 27 times. The whole chapter of Isaiah 19 speaks about Egypt and the New Testament Church of Egypt. Abraham, Sarai, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, the 12 tribes of Israel, and Jeremiah came to live in Egypt and it was a refuge and safe haven to all of them specially at the time of famines. Moses, Aaron, Mariam, Joshua, and the makers of Tabernacle of Meeting were raised up in Egypt. God spoke with Moses from the burning bush in Egypt and He gave him the Ten Commandments in Egypt.The Israelites ate their first Passover Lamb in Egypt and Moses led them to the Land of the Promise after crossing over the Red Sea of Egypt with many other significant and symbolic incidents. The Septuagint (The Translation of the Seventy) or (LXX), The First Koine Greek form of Old Testament Bible, was translated in Egypt in the 3rd century BC during the reign of Ptolemy II.

The Coptic Version of the Bible

One of earliest and the most accurate and reliable versions of the whole New Testament, which survived in more than 1000 Coptic manuscripts adorning the museums around the world.

The Coptic Orthodox Church

Jesus Christ blessed Egypt throughout the biblical history and honored it by His visit together with St Mary and St Joseph the carpenter, who remained there for more than three years till the death of king Herod. During that time, they visited many places in Egypt, which were all turned later on into monasteries in the early centuries of Christianity in Egypt.

St Mark the holy apostle preached out in Egypt in the mid first century and established its great apostolic see, which is one of the first five apostolic sees of the early church (Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, Rome, and Alexandria) this is why the Coptic Church is also known as the Church of Alexandria.

The Catechetical School of Alexandria is one of the first schools in the Christian world to systematically study the Holy Scripture in the first centuries of Christianity. Among those who studied on it are Clement of Alexandria, Scholar Origen, Athenagoras, Didymus the Blind, and more, who enlightened the world with their teachings.

The Coptic Church has been presenting many of her sons and daughters martyrs since the Roman persecution till today. Among the Coptic Church’s famous martyrs are St Mina the wonder worker, St Maurice the leader of Theban Legion, St Abanoub, St Verena, St Catherin of Egypt, … and etc. The whole world heard about the Coptic martyrs in Libya and how simple villagers bravely been killed for the sake of Christ on Feb 15, 2015, which turned into a feast to celebrate the Coptic martyrs of our current age.

Christian Monasticism developed in the fourth century within the Coptic Orthodox Church. St Anthony of Egypt and his disciples started this life style and later on it spread throughout the world. All leaders of different schools of early monasticism i.e Anthony, Pachomius, Shenouda, Macarius, … and etc are Egyptians/ Copts.

The Church had great leadership in the three universal or ecumenical councils (at Nicea, Constantinople and Ephesus) by such fathers as St. Athanasius and St. Cyril of Alexandria.

The Coptic Orthodox Church grounds herself in the following sources of tradition: Holy Scripture (the Holy Bible); Liturgical Life; the Creeds and Canons produced by the three Ecumenical councils; the Writings of the Church Fathers and Lives of Saints; and Church Art (e.g. iconography, architecture, music).

The Coptic Church is a sacramental church, recognizing that the life of the Orthodox Christian is a mystical one grounded in the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church. Her foremost Mysteries (Sacraments) are: Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, the Holy Eucharist (Communion), Marriage, Priesthood, and Holy Unction or the Anointing of the Sick.

The current Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church is HH Pope Tawadros II

The current Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles is HE Metropolitan Serapion

The current Priest of St Macarius Coptic Orthodox Church in Santa Maria city is Rev Father John Ghaly.