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17

The Coptic religion is a Christian minority found mostly in which non-Christian country?

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EGYPT - religion illustration
EGYPT — religion

The Coptic Orthodox Church has its roots deeply embedded in the land of the pharaohs. The word "Copt" itself is derived from the Greek word for Egyptian, *Aigyptios*, highlighting an identity that is both Christian and profoundly national. Tradition holds that Christianity was brought to Alexandria in the 1st century AD by St. Mark the Evangelist, making the Coptic community one of the oldest Christian denominations in the world. For centuries, the region was a major center of Christian thought and monasticism.

Following the Arab conquest in the 7th century, the religious landscape of the country began to shift. While the Coptic Church has maintained a continuous presence for nearly two millennia, its followers are now a significant minority in a predominantly Muslim nation. They constitute the largest Christian community in the Middle East, making up roughly 10 percent of their country's population. Headed by the Pope of Alexandria, the church is distinct from other major branches of Christianity, having separated after a theological dispute at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. This ancient faith continues to thrive, preserving a unique liturgy that still uses the Coptic language, the final stage of the ancient Egyptian language.