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Ark of the Covenant

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Holy Scripture › Ark of the Covenant

The question

According to a TV documentary, the Ethiopians believe that if one touches the Ark of the Covenant, which some Ethiopian churches claim to possess, he will die. Would it be correct to say that the prohibition to touch was strictly limited to the Ark made by Moses and that, under the new Covenant, such a prohibition no longer exists, nor do purity rituals?

The answer

Firstly, we do not know for certain where the Ark of the Covenant is.  

Secondly, the Old Testament Ark was touched by the Levites (the priests). This priesthood is replaced by the New Testament priesthood.

Thirdly, the Old Testament Ark was a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, during communion, we partake of the real object, the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, how can touching a symbol in the present era of grace cause us to perish?

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 1254 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.