A Christian tradition, and the Christ at its center
The Oriental Orthodox Churches
Step into an Oriental Orthodox church and you enter one of the oldest continuous streams of Christian worship in the world. The air carries incense; ancient chant rises in Coptic, Armenian, Ge'ez, or Syriac; icons and the sign of the cross mark a faith received unbroken across many centuries. These are the churches of Egypt, Armenia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Syriac and Malankara peoples of the Middle East and India, communities that have often held their confession through hardship and persecution. Worship is long, reverent, and deeply embodied, shaped by fasting seasons that run much of the year. You will find warmth beneath the solemnity: a family gathered around the mystery of God made flesh, keeping a tradition their ancestors guarded, welcoming the newcomer to stand, watch, and taste something that feels genuinely ancient and alive.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”John 1:14
“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”Colossians 1:15
What it is
The Oriental Orthodox family is a communion of ancient national churches, including the Coptic Orthodox of Egypt, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox, the Syriac Orthodox, and the Malankara churches of India. Many trace their founding to the preaching of the apostles and their earliest disciples. They are distinguished from the Eastern Orthodox largely by their response to the Council of Chalcedon in 451, holding to the language of an earlier council to describe how divinity and humanity are united in Christ. For this reason they are sometimes called non-Chalcedonian. Each church has its own patriarch or catholicos and its own liturgical language and calendar, yet they share a common faith and are in communion with one another. Today they number tens of millions across their homelands and a growing diaspora.
How they worship and what they hold
Worship centers on the Divine Liturgy, a long service of Scripture, chant, prayer, and the Eucharist, which they receive as the true body and blood of Christ. They keep the historic sacraments, including baptism and chrismation of infants, confession, marriage, and holy orders. Ancient liturgical languages are cherished, though local tongues are increasingly used. Fasting is central: believers abstain from animal products across many weeks of the year, in the weeks before great feasts and on regular fast days. Icons and the cross are venerated as windows toward the holy, and the Virgin Mary and the saints are honored and asked to pray. Monasticism runs deep, especially in Egypt and Ethiopia. Bodily devotion, standing, bowing, prostration, and the sign of the cross, expresses a faith held with the whole self.
The Christ at the center
At the center stands Jesus Christ, the eternal Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. These churches confess him as fully God and fully human, the image of the invisible God, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, risen, and coming again. Their historic emphasis is on the deep unity of his divinity and humanity in one incarnate person, so that in Jesus we truly meet God himself, not a divided figure. Much of their difference with other ancient churches has proven to be a matter of language rather than a denial of his full humanity or divinity, and modern dialogues have recognized wide common ground. Beneath every distinctive lies the shared Christian confession: that God so loved the world he came among us in the flesh to save us, and that Christ is Lord.
Questions people ask
Are they Christian?
Yes. The Oriental Orthodox churches are among the oldest Christian communities on earth, confessing Jesus as fully God and fully human, crucified and risen. Their historic distinction from other ancient churches concerns the language used to describe how his divinity and humanity are united. Modern dialogue has found broad agreement on the underlying faith they share with all Christians.
Can I visit?
Yes. Visitors are generally welcome to attend the Divine Liturgy. Expect a long, standing, incense-filled service in an ancient language, though many parishes add the local tongue. Modest dress is appreciated. Receiving Communion is usually reserved for members in good standing, but you are welcome to watch, pray, and speak with the priest or parishioners afterward.