What is the Orthodox Church?

The Orthodox Church is the original Christian Church founded by Jesus Christ Himself and entrusted to His Apostles. It upholds the unbroken apostolic succession, where the teachings and authority have been passed down directly from the Apostles through bishops to the present day, preserving the faith as Christ intended it to be. For over 2,000 years, it has remained faithful to the Gospel, sacraments, and traditions without fundamental changes, making it a living continuation of the early Church.

Why is the Orthodox Church considered the Church founded by Christ?

The Orthodox Church traces its origins directly to Jesus Christ, who established His Church on the foundation of the Apostles at Pentecost in AD 33. Through apostolic succession, the bishops and clergy have maintained an unbroken line of authority and teaching from the Apostles, ensuring the Church remains exactly as Christ founded and intended it; focused on salvation, the Holy Trinity, and the path to union with God. This direct continuity provides believers with the authentic experience of Christianity as practiced in the earliest days.

How does the Orthodox Church embody Christ's intended Church?

As the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church proclaimed in the Nicene Creed, the Orthodox Church fully realizes Christ's establishment of a unified body for salvation. It emphasizes communal worship, spiritual growth through fasting and prayer, and the veneration of saints and icons as aids to holiness; all as practiced in the apostolic era. This fidelity invites believers into a transformative relationship with God, unchanged from how Christ and the Apostles lived and taught. The Orthodox Church teaches that through Christ, prayer, repentance, and the sacraments, we are gradually transformed into the likeness of God, restored to the fullness of life intended for humanity from the beginning.

What is the Coptic Orthodox Church?

The Coptic Orthodox Church is a specific ethnic group within the Orthodox Church. Just like other ethnic groups (Ethiopians, Syrians, etc..) who practice orthodoxy, they are not separate, just different cultures within the Orthodox Church. The Coptic church specifically was founded by the Apostle St. Mark in Egypt around AD 42, making it a direct extension of the Church established by Christ. It preserves the apostolic faith through unbroken succession and traditions rooted in the early Church.

How has the Coptic Orthodox Church remained unchanged?

For nearly 2,000 years, the Coptic Church has upheld its doctrines, liturgies in the ancient Coptic language, and monastic traditions without deviation, ensuring the faith remains pure and as established by Christ through St. Mark. This resilience, even through historical challenges, provides a timeless spiritual foundation. Its adherence to the first three Ecumenical Councils reflect the unaltered faith as Christ intended, offering a profound connection to the apostolic roots.

Orthodox worship, especially the Divine Liturgy, is filled with the same prayers, hymns, and structure used since the earliest centuries of Christianity. The Church uses icons, incense, chant, and Scripture not as decoration, but as a way to enter into the heavenly worship described in the Book of Revelation.

How can I experience the Orthodox Church for myself?

The best way is to come and see, to attend the Divine Liturgy, to hear the ancient hymns, smell the incense, and feel the peace of centuries of unbroken prayer. In Orthodoxy, faith is not only something to be studied but something to be lived and experienced. If you specifically want to learn and visit our church visit us at https://stgeorgebklyn.org. To locate a Coptic Church near you visit https://copticchurchfinder.com .