coptic

Coptic refers to the culture, language, and religious tradition associated with Egyptian Christians, especially those of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. The term derives from the Greek word Aigyptos and historically describes native Egyptians who embraced Christianity in late antiquity and the medieval period. Today, Coptic commonly denotes the Coptic Orthodox Church, its members, and their distinctive liturgical and cultural practices, as well as the Coptic language.

The Coptic language is the latest phase of the ancient Egyptian language. It was written mainly with the Coptic alphabet, which uses Greek letters supplemented by a few Demotic signs. Coptic dialects include Sahidic and Bohairic. It flourished in early Christian Egypt and was used for religious texts, literature, and daily writing for a time. In modern times, Coptic survives largely as a liturgical language, preserved in worship and prayer, with scholarly revival in academic contexts.

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the largest Christian church in Egypt and belongs to the Oriental Orthodox communion. It maintains its own rite, theology, and monastic tradition, centered on the see of Alexandria and the primacy of the pope of Alexandria. The term Coptic also appears in reference to Coptic Catholic and other Egyptian Christian communities.

Coptic culture includes distinctive art, iconography, music, and hagiography, much of it tied to monastic life. The Coptic community has maintained a continuous presence in Egypt and has a global diaspora, contributing to religious diversity, interfaith dialogue, and the preservation of Egypt’s ancient heritage.