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Questions & Answers

Becoming Orthodox

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › The Church › Becoming Orthodox

The question

I am a Christian from evangelical background. For the last 3 years, I have been learning about Orthodox Christianity; and I have also attended catechumen class in an Indonesian Orthodox Church (Constantinople Jurisdiction). I am considering becoming Orthodox; but there isn't any Oriental Orthodox Church in Indonesia. I have read materials on a lot of official websites on the Coptic Orthodox Church. What do I need to do to become a member of the Coptic Orthodox Church?

The answer

I am glad you are interested in the Coptic Orthodox Church. It is unfortunate that there is no Coptic Church in Indonesia. The regular procedure to become a Coptic Orthodox is to:
  1. Read a lot about the Coptic Orthodox Church dogma and history.


  2. Attend catechumen classes, which will give you the chance to discuss what you learn and have your questions and inquiries answered.


  3. Attend the Divine Liturgies and other church services in order to familiarize yourself with the rituals of the church and benefit from the prayers and praises.


  4. Finally, once you are surely convinced that this is the true Church that fulfills all your spiritual needs in the way our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy Apostles intended it to do, you get baptized in the Church and then you will be able to partake in the holy sacraments of the Church.
Since you now live in a place where there is no Coptic Church; it will be a challenge for you to learn all about this true faith on your own. If you need any help let me know until, God willing, you get  access to a Coptic Church.

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

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 17 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.