- Agpeya
- The Coptic book of hours, containing the prayers of the seven canonical hours of the day.
- Almsgiving
- Mercy shown to the poor; with prayer and fasting, one of the three cords of the spiritual life.
- Archangel
- A chief among the angels, such as Michael and Gabriel, sent as messengers and guardians.
- Asceticism
- The disciplined “training” of the spiritual life (prayer, fasting, vigilance) to free the soul for God.
- Baptism
- The Mystery of new birth in water and the Spirit, by three immersions, dying and rising with Christ.
- Bishop
- A successor of the apostles who shepherds a diocese and guards the faith.
- Catechumen
- One being instructed in the faith in preparation for baptism.
- Chrismation
- The Mystery, immediately following baptism, of being sealed with the Holy Spirit through the holy Myron.
- Constantinople
- The Second Ecumenical Council (381), which confessed the divinity of the Holy Spirit and completed the Creed.
- Creed
- The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the summary of the faith recited in every liturgy.
- Deacon
- An ordained servant who assists in the liturgy and the ministry of the Church.
- Doxology
- A hymn of praise to God or in honor of a saint, sung in the Church’s worship.
- Ephesus
- The Third Ecumenical Council (431), which confessed Christ as one Person and Mary as Theotokos, against Nestorius.
- Eucharist
- The Mystery of Christ’s true Body and Blood, given for the life of the world; the heart of the Divine Liturgy.
- Fasting
- Abstaining from food (and from animal products) for a time, joined to prayer and almsgiving; training, not punishment.
- Gospel
- The good news of salvation in Christ, and the four accounts of His life by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
- Grace
- The uncreated life and favor of God, freely given, by which we are saved and sanctified.
- Holy Tradition
- The living handing-down of the faith (Scripture, the sacraments, the liturgy, the Creed) received from the apostles.
- Homoousios
- “Of one essence.” The word of the Council of Nicaea (325) confessing that the Son is of one essence with the Father, begotten not created.
- Icon
- A sacred image of Christ, the Theotokos, or the saints; a window to heaven, venerated but not worshiped.
- Iconostasis
- The screen of icons separating the sanctuary from the nave in a Coptic church.
- Incarnation
- The eternal Son of God becoming man in Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man in one Person, to save us.
- Komboskini
- The prayer rope, used to keep count while repeating the Jesus Prayer.
- Liturgy
- The public worship of the Church, above all the Divine Liturgy of the Eucharist; heaven brought near.
- Metanoia
- “A change of mind,” the Greek word for repentance: a turning of the whole person toward God. Also a prostration in prayer.
- Monasticism
- The life of monks and nuns given wholly to prayer and asceticism; Egypt’s gift to the whole Church.
- Myron
- The holy chrism (consecrated oil) used in Chrismation to seal the newly baptized with the Holy Spirit.
- Nave
- The main body of the church where the congregation stands and prays.
- Nicaea
- The First Ecumenical Council (325), which confessed the full divinity of the Son against Arius and gave the Church the Creed.
- Pascha
- The Feast of the Resurrection of Christ, the feast of feasts; every Sunday is a “little Pascha.”
- Pope
- The Pope of Alexandria, successor of St. Mark and shepherd of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
- Presbyter
- A priest, who serves the Mysteries and shepherds a parish under his bishop.
- Providence
- God’s loving care and governance of all creation, guiding all things toward the good.
- Repentance
- The turning of the heart back to God; with Confession, the ongoing medicine of the soul.
- Resurrection
- The rising of Christ from the dead, and the promised rising of the body at the last day.
- Sanctuary
- The altar area of the church, beyond the iconostasis, where the Eucharist is offered.
- Seraphim
- The highest order of the heavenly hosts, who unceasingly praise God, crying “Holy, Holy, Holy.”
- Tasbeha
- The Coptic Midnight Praise, a service of psalmody, canticles, and hymns.
- Theophany
- The Feast of the Lord’s Baptism in the Jordan and the manifestation of the Holy Trinity.
- Theotokos
- “God-bearer,” the Mother of God. A title of the Virgin Mary affirmed at the Council of Ephesus (431), confessing that the child she bore is one Person, truly God.
- Trinity
- One God in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; one essence, three distinct Persons.
- Veneration
- The honor given to icons, relics, and saints. Distinct from worship, which belongs to God alone.