Welcome to St. Mary and St. Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church!

Christ is in our midst!

We are part of the ancient Coptic Orthodox Church, founded by St. Mark the Evangelist (Gospel writer) in Alexandria, continuing the same faith, worship, and life in Christ that has been handed down through the apostles for nearly 2,000 years.

Whether you are exploring Christianity for the first time, seeking a deeper spiritual home, have questions about faith, or simply feel drawn to something ancient and authentic — you are most welcome here.

No one is expected to know everything or be ‘perfect.’ Come as you are. Observe, experience the Divine Liturgy, listen to the hymns and feel the presence of Christ among His people. Our doors are open to all — newcomers, inquirers, visitors, and friends.

The parish priests and community would be honored to answer your questions and walk with you as you discover (or rediscover) the love of Jesus Christ.

Come and see. We look forward to meeting you at our next service.”

What is the Coptic Orthodox Faith?

• The Coptic Orthodox Church has preserved the Christian faith in its pure and unchanged form since the beginning of

Christianity in Egypt, as preached by the Apostle Mark (Gospel writer) in A.D. 43.

• The Coptic Orthodox Church believes that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human. He is Eternal with the Father, uncreated, and the Only Savior of the world.

• The Coptic Orthodox Church does not, and has never, worshipped the saints. Instead, it honors them as heroes of faith who serve as examples for the faithful.

• The statement of faith for the Coptic Orthodox Church is the Nicene Creed.

What is the Divine Liturgy?

The word liturgy means “the work of the people” and is the original form of the ancient Christian worship. The liturgy includes prayers, hymns (Coptic, Greek, English, Arabic), readings from the scripture, sermon, worship, and finally receiving the Holy Communion, the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Long hymns in Worship

In the Orthodox Church, long hymns aren't about length for its own sake, they're about depth. They help us slow down and enter into the mystery of God's presence. Just like the Psalms or the heavenly worship described in Revelation, our hymns are rich with Scripture and theology. They’re not rushed because love isn’t rushed. When we sing these hymns, we’re not just performing, we're praying, meditating, and joining the eternal praise of heaven. It's a spiritual journey, not a performance.

Icons and Pictures in the Church

Galatians 3:1 “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?”
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The Greek word for “portrayed” (proegraphē) literally means “publicly displayed or vividly depicted,” often used to describe something written or drawn out clearly.
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God Himself ordered to decorate His house with paintings and drawings

1 Kings 6:29–35, 2 Chronicles 3:7, 14, Exodus 25:18–20, Exodus 26:1. More about this is discussed in the catechism class on Saturday.

Where to stand?

You may notice that men and women stand on opposite sides of the church (Women on the right & men on the left). This is an ancient practice dating back to the early church.

How do I follow along?

There are overhead screens/monitors to help you follow the prayers or using the Coptic Reader app for Android/Apple users.

Common words used during service

Key-ryalison: Lord have mercy
Pantocrator: Almighty
Agios: Holy

Incense

Burned to represent prayers rising to God in heaven based on Revelation 8:3-4

The Altar

A table inside the sanctuary where the bread and wine are kept for the entire service
(Hebrews 13:10 & 1 Corinthians 9:13)

Holy Kiss

Shortly after the sermon, the deacon will call everyone to “Greet one another with a Holy Kiss.” This is meant to fulfill Matthew 5:24. Before receiving the Holy Communion, we extend our hands to one another as a sign of peace.

• Romans 16:16: "Greet one another with a holy kiss."
• 1 Corinthians 16:20: "Greet one another with a holy kiss."

Holy Communion

Near the end of the service, the priest will distribute the Holy Communion.

To participate in communion, you are required to be:

1. Baptized into the Oriental Orthodox Faith

2. Actively participating in the sacrament of confession

3. Abstaining from food and water from midnight

Historical Background

The Coptic Orthodox Church traces its origins to the 1st century AD, traditionally founded by Saint Mark the Evangelist (the author of the Gospel of Mark) in Alexandria, Egypt, around 43 AD. The term “Coptic” comes from the Greek “Aigyptos” (Egypt), via Arabic “Qibt,” originally referring to Egyptians and later specifically to Egyptian Christians. The church emphasizes its unbroken continuity with apostolic teaching and describes itself as preserving the “original faith” without deviation.

It played a major role in early Christianity in the Ecumenical Councils.

Ecumenical Councils

1) The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD: It was at the invitation of Emperor Constantine the Great, because of the heresy of Arius, the Alexandrian priest, who was calling for the Son to be less than the Father. Pope Alexandros of Alexandria and Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (who later became a Coptic Pope in the 4th century) was a key defender of Christ's divinity at the Council of Nicaea and is often called the "Father of Orthodoxy." Through this council, the first part of the Nicene Creed was written as a response to the heresy: “We belief in one God ……………Truly we belief in the Holy Spirit.”

2) The Council of Constantinople 381 AD: It was upon the invitation of Emperor Theodosius the Great, because of Macedonius; the enemy of the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed that the Holy Spirit was created. Pope Timothy of Alexandria presided over the council. Through this council, the second part of the Nicene Creed regarding the Holy Spirit was written as a response to the heresy: The completion of the creed “ the life givingLord……and the life of the world to come. Amen.”

3) The Council of Ephesus 431 AD: It was upon the invitation of Emperor Theodosius the Younger, because of the heresy of Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, who proclaimed that Christ was two persons and two hypostases, separating the divine and human natures.

The church split into what became the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, due to differences in understanding Christ's nature. The Oriental Orthodox church believes in a Miaphysiate Christology (more on this below) , while the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches believe in a DyophysiteChristology.

Core Beliefs

The Coptic Orthodox Church holds to foundational Christian doctrines shared with most other Christian traditions, while expressing some in its distinctive way:

• The Holy Trinity — One God in three co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

• Jesus Christ — The only Savior of the world; fully Divine and fully human. He is the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten (not created) of the Father before all ages, of one essence with the Father. He became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, suffered, was crucified, died, was buried, rose on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

• Statement of Faith — The church adheres to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (commonly called the Orthodox Creed), which affirms these beliefs in detail.

The church is sacramental, recognizing seven sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation (Confirmation), Repentance/Confession, Eucharist (Holy Communion), Marriage, Priesthood (Holy Orders), and Unction of the Sick.

It is deeply traditional and liturgical, following the ancient Coptic Rite in worship, with strong emphasis on monasticism (Egypt is considered the birthplace of Christian monasticism), fasting, prayer, and the teachings of the early Church Fathers.

Distinctive Christological Position: Miaphysitism

The most notable theological distinction is its Miaphysite Christology (from Greek "mia physis" = "one nature out of two").

• The Coptic Church teaches that after the Incarnation, Christ has one united (or composite) nature — the Incarnate Nature of the Word/Logos — fully divine and fully human, united without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation.

• This is deliberately distinguished from Monophysitism (a heresy that teaches only one single/divine nature, absorbing or negating the human). Copts reject that label and insist they affirm both natures in full, but inseparably united in one reality.

• This position contrasts with the Dyophysite (two natures) formulation of Chalcedon, accepted by Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and most Protestants.

In summary, the Coptic Orthodox Faith is an ancient, apostolic, Trinitarian, and sacramental expression of Christianity that has faithfully preserved its traditions for nearly 2,000 years, with a strong emphasis on the mystery of the Incarnation as understood through Miaphysite theology. It remains the largest Christian community in the Middle East and has vibrant diaspora communities worldwide.

Resources:

Orthodox Bible Study

Catechism of the Orthodox Church

Coptic Orthodox Answers

Becoming Coptic Orthodox Christian

Coptic Hymns in English App

Praising God through hymns lifts up our spirits and allows us to communicate with the One we love. Chanting transcends us in liturgical worship. This is a service to unite the Coptic Orthodox Church to pray in one voice and one spirit.

This service is a central hub for other deacons to contribute ideas and hymns in order to unify our church. The lyrics for these standardized English hymns are found on the Coptic Reader App.

Coptic Reader

It contains the official Diocese translation of all the prayer books of the Coptic Orthodox Church in English, Coptic, and Arabic. Coptic Reader has been specifically designed to harness the power of modern mobile computing technologies to deliver a seamless user experience. Thousands of pages from dozens of books have been compressed and included in Coptic Reader allowing effortless access to all the prayers of the Church.

If you have any questions, email us at iamnew@smandsm.org or call us at 201-954-1001. We’re happy to help!