Coptic Catholic Church

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The Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite particular Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome. Historically, it represents a schism from the Coptic Orthodox Church, its adherents having left the Orthodox church to enter into communion with the Bishop of Rome.

The current Patriarch of Alexandria of the Catholic Copts is Antonios I Naguib, who replaced Stephanos II Ghattas in 2005. The offices of the Patriarchate are located in Cairo. The patriarchal Cathedral (Our Lady of Egypt) is in Nasr City, a suburb of Cairo.

History

Beginnings

At the Council of Florence on February 4, 1442, a Coptic Orthodox Church delegation signed the Cantate Domino document for the formal union with the Catholic Church. With little support in Egypt, the document had no effect. In the 1600's, missionaries, primarily the Franciscans, started to come to the Copts. In 1630, a Cairo mission of the Capuchin was founded. The Jesuits came in 1675.^[2] Again in 1713, the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria had submitted to Rome, but like in 1442 was the union of long duration.^[3]

In 1741, Coptic Bishop Anba Athanasius of Jerusalem became a Catholic.^[3] In 1781^[3], he was appointed by Pope Benedict XIV^[2] as Vicar Apostolic^[3] of the less than 2,000 Egyptian Coptic Catholics. Eventually, Athanasius went back to the Coptic Orthodox Church and other continued in Catholic Vicars Apostolic position.^[2]

Patriarchate

Under the assumption that the Ottoman viceroy wanted a Catholic Patriarch for the Coptic Catholics in 1824, the Pope erected the Patriarchate of Alexandria^[2] from the Apostolic Vicariate of Syria, Egypt, Arabia and Cyprus^[4] but it was basically titular^[2]. The Ottomans in 1829 allowed the Coptic Catholics to build their own churches.^[2]

As the number of Catholics of this Rite has increased to the point that Leo XIII in 1895 restored the Catholic patriarchate.^[3] He initial named Bishop Cyril Makarios as Patriarchal Vicar. Makarios then presided over synod which lead to the introduction of some Latin practices. In 1899, Leo appointed Makarios as Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts taking the name Cyril II. He resigned in 1908 at the request of the Pope over a controversy. The patriarchate seat remained vacant until an election in 1947^[2] and was administered by Apostolic Administrator.^[4]

Religious orders

The Catholic Coptic Church does not have Coptic monasteries. Instead the Church has religious congregations such as the three communities for women: the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, the Coptic Sisters of Jesus and Mary (both based in Egypt) and the Egyptian Province of the Little Sisters of Jesus. There is also a community of male Franciscans.^[2]

Educational and health services

Most candidates for the priesthood are trained at St. Leo’s Patriarchal Seminary, in suburban Cairo. More than 100 Coptic Catholic parishes administer primary schools, and some have secondary schools as well. The church maintains a hospital, a number of medical dispensaries and clinics, and several orphanages.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ Roberson, Ronald G.. "The Eastern Catholic Churches 2010". Eastern Catholic Churches Statistics. Catholic Near East Welfare Association. http://www.cnewa.us/source-images/Roberson-eastcath-statistics/eastcatholic-stat10.pdf. Retrieved 28 December 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Roberson, Ronald G.. "The Coptic Catholic Church". Eastern Catholic Churches. Catholic Near East Welfare Association. http://www.cnewa.us/default.aspx?ID=63&IndexView&pagetypeID=9&sitecode=US&pageno=1. Retrieved 27 January 2012. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Churches "Eastern Churches". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Eastern Churches. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Patriarchal See of Alexandria". Catholic Dioceses in the World. Giga Catholic Information. http://www.gcatholic.com/dioceses/diocese/alex0.htm. Retrieved 27 January 2012. 

See also

Part of a series on the
Eastern Catholics
Alexandrian-rite Churches
Coptic Ethiopian
West Syrian rite Churches
Maronite Syriac Syro-Malankara
Armenian-rite Churches
Armenian Church
Byzantine-rite Churches
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East Syrian rite Churches
Chaldean Syro-Malabar
Catholicism portal
v t e

• List of Coptic Catholic Patriarchs of Alexandria
• Eastern Catholicism
• Monasticism
• Oriental Orthodox Church

External links

• Coptic Catholic website.
• Article on "Life in a Coptic Catholic Village"
• "Italian-language video on the Coptic Catholic Church"
• "Video of the ordination of Coptic Catholic deacons"

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