After Jesus the Messiah was born in Bethlehem, King Herod of Jerusalem sought to kill him. Joseph, the husband of Mary, received a dream, warning him to take his family to Egypt. They left in the night. There they remained until hearing from God that it was safe to return. The Old Testament prophecy of Hosea was fulfilled. (Matthew 2) “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11:1)
God did not forget Egypt; instead, he blessed the nation.
In 61 A.D., Mark, an apostle of the Christian church, took the Gospel to Egypt, where he founded the church in Alexandria. The city became an important Christian center, second only to the Latin Rome.
The first Christian religious institution, the Catechetical School of Alexandria, opened in 106 A.D.; it produced and influenced many early church fathers.
At that time, Egypt was a province of Rome. Latin was the language of government and the military. Greek was the language of commerce and trade. The local tongue was Coptic—a form of Ancient Egyptian.
The Bible began to be translated from Koine Greek into Coptic around 180 A.D.
The Coptic alphabet descends from Greek, as was used in the Gospels, with influences from the Ancient Egyptian script. The purpose of the translation was to take the Gospel to the people of Egypt.
Coptic was an early church language. It continues to be used today by the Coptic Church globally and is now a holy language for liturgical use.
In 451 A.D. the Council of Chalcedon, a meeting of bishops and other heads of the church in Turkey. The result was a major schism within the Christian church, separating the Oriental Orthodox Church (Coptic) from the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
The Oriental Orthodox Church (Coptic) was not just separated from the world church, but also from the Byzantine Empire, which was Christian.
The divisions weakened the church, allowing for attacks by an outside power —the Persians.
Christian Egyptians themselves became divided between those who agreed with Chalcedon rulings and those who did not, the majority being in the latter camp. Rome took Egypt back under treaty and installed a pro-Chalcedon ruler.
The Coptic Orthodox Church went underground. Persecution from fellow believers who held to Chalcedon arose.
Church unity cannot be found through force.
These events weakened the Christian church in Egypt further. Islam invaded.
Egyptian Christians, be they Orthodox, Catholic or Eastern, are all believers in Jesus, the Son of God, who died, rose again and will return. They are all brothers and sisters of the same body. Forgiveness must be given for sins of the ancient past. A new unity must be forged.
All Egyptian Christians are the physical and spiritual descendants of the early church in Alexandria. They are one people.
The Coptic Church prays for unity of Christians.
Those who believe in Jesus are members of his church; they are necessary parts of the body of Christ. Only one condition is necessary: “Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)
Unity of the church demonstrates love and is a witness to the world.
Jesus stated, “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Divisions and schisms in the church must be rectified and healed with the blood of Jesus. A united house will stand, a divided one continues to fall. (Matthew 12:25)
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
May the altar in Egypt remain until the Lord’s return. (Isaiah 19:19)
To honor the Lord and the early and modern Coptic speaking church in Egypt, “I AM” in Coptic from John 18:5 has been embroidered in this artwork titled “I AM.”
Listen to the Lord’s Prayer in the original Coptic: