One of the world's oldest Christian churches, founded in Egypt by the Apostle Mark and preserving an ancient liturgical tradition.
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria traces its founding to the Apostle Mark, who according to tradition brought the Christian faith to Egypt in the first century. The Coptic church is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches — a family distinct from both Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism — that separated from the rest of Christendom after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD over a theological dispute about the nature of Christ. Copts hold to miaphysitism — the belief that Christ has one united nature, both divine and human — rather than the two-nature (dyophysite) formula affirmed at Chalcedon.
The Coptic church has survived centuries of persecution, first under Roman rule, then under Byzantine, Arab, and Ottoman domination, and continues to face significant challenges in modern Egypt. This history of suffering has shaped a deep spirituality of martyrdom and endurance. The Coptic word for 'Christian' — 'Qibti' — is the same as the word for 'Egyptian,' reflecting how thoroughly the faith became identified with the Egyptian people. The Coptic calendar still marks the era from the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, whose persecutions of Christians were so severe that Copts call it the 'Era of the Martyrs.'
Saint George Coptic Orthodox Church on Raeford Road serves Fayetteville's Coptic community, which is largely composed of Egyptian immigrants and their families. The liturgy is conducted in Coptic (the ancient Egyptian language), Arabic, and English, and the service follows the ancient Liturgy of Saint Basil.
The Coptic church is distinguished by its ancient Egyptian heritage, its miaphysite Christology, its extraordinarily rigorous fasting calendar, and its use of the Coptic language in worship. It is one of the few churches that can claim an unbroken tradition from the apostolic era in the same geographic region.
The Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil is the central act of worship, conducted in Coptic, Arabic, and English. Services feature ancient chants, incense, and a strong emphasis on the Eucharist. Fasting before communion is required. Services can be lengthy — two to three hours is common.
Traditionally founded by the Apostle Mark in Alexandria, Egypt, circa 42 AD.
Ancient origins, the Coptic language, an extraordinary fasting tradition, and a history of martyrdom and endurance.