Coptic Catholic Church

Separation

In 451, following the Council of Chalcedon.

History

As early as the 2^nd century, the Alexandrian School spread its influence across the Christian world. In the 4^th century, monasteries were popping up all over the desert (Saints Anthony, Pachomius, Macarius, etc.).
Saint Athanasius fought the heresy of Arius. Saint Cyril of Alexandria defended the unity of Christ and the divine maternity of Mary at the Council of Ephesus (431). Coptic Christians reject the council of Chalcedon (451).
In the 6^th century they were persecuted by the Arabs and in the 11^th century they were rejected by the Crusaders as heretics.
In 1895, Pope Leon XIII established the Catholic patriarchate decided in 1824 by Pope Leon XII.
Monsignor Cyril Macaire was appointed “Patriarch of Alexandria” in 1899, but the patriarchal seat was unoccupied until 1947.

The current patriarch is H.B. Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak, patriarch of Alexandria, residing in Cairo.

The Coptic Catholic Church has approximately 250,000 faithful in Egypt and in the diaspora.

The so-called “orthodox” Coptic Church has nearly 10 million faithful under his Holiness Tawadros II.