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== Outline The '''Orthodox Church in Africa''' traces its origins to [[Apostle Mark|St. Mark]], who planted the church in the city of Alexandria in AD 42 or thereabouts.  Alexandria was a cosmopolitan city, established by Alexander the Great, whose successors established the Ptolemaic dynasty, and ruled Egypt until they were conquered by the Romans.  Towards the end of the 2nd century Christianity spread rapidly among the native Egyptian population, and the scriptures and liturgical texts were translated into several vernacular languages. This expansion led to an increase in the number of bishops, and the history [[bishop]] of Alexandria, as the senior bishop, began to be referred to by the title "[[Pope]]" (before the Orthodox bishops of [[Church of Rome|Rome]] began using that title). With the establishment of the [[Catechetical School of Alexandria|Alexandrian Catechetical School]], Alexandria became an important intellectual centre for Christianity as well. {{orthodoxyseries}}Persecutions in the 3rd century gave rise to the [[monasticism|monastic]] movement, as people fled from the cities into the desert, and when the persecutions abated, some remained in the desert to pray. St [[Anthony the Great|Antony]] and St [[Pachomius the Great|Pachomius]] organised and regularised the monastic life, and it spread from Egypt to other parts of the Christian world.  In the 4th century Africa ==became the scene of [[theology|theological]] controversies that shaped the history of Christianity. The teaching of [[Arius]] was rejected by St [[Athanasius the Great|Athanasius]], and the [[First Ecumenical Council]] was called to deal with it in AD 325, at [[Nicea]], though it was originally a local African doctrinal dispute. The result was the [[Nicene Creed]], which was eventually expanded to become the '''Symbol of Faith''' ratified by the [[Fourth Ecumenical council]] at [[Chalcedon]] in 451.

The Orthodox Following the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]], however, the Church in Africa traces its origins Egypt was divided: some supported the teaching of the council, others did not. Each group tried to St Markcontrol the Church, who planted and get their candidates as Pope and Patriarch. Eventually in the church in 6th century, the city of Alexandria in AD 42 split became a schism, and since then there have been [[Chalcedonian]] ("[[Melkite]]" or thereabouts"Greek") and [[Oriental Orthodox|non-Chalcedonian]] (Coptic) popes and patriarchs.

Alexandria One of the consequences of the [[schism|split]] was divided missions being sent to Nubia, where the Northern and Southern kingdoms were evangelised by non-Chalcedonian missionaries sponsored by the Empress St [[Theodora (wife of Justinian)|Theodora]], and the central kingdom was evangelised by a cosmopolitan city, established Chalcedonian mission sponsored by Alexander the Emperor St [[Justinian the Great|Justinian I]]. The rivalry between the missions meant that they also used Greek and Coptic as liturgical languages, whose successors established and did not follow the Ptolemy dynastyprinciple of translating into the vernacular. The result was that the Nubian Church eventually disappeared in about the 15th century, and ruled Egypt until they were conquered by the Romanspeople (in what is today Sudan) became Muslims. The [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Church]] was more successful, but it was aligned to the Coptic group, and remained so aligned after the schism.

Towards In the end of the second 7th century Christianity spread rapidly among the native Egyptian populationMuslim Arabs invaded North Africa, and the scriptures and liturgical texts were translated into several vernacular languagesconquered it, which made Christians, after 300 years of freedom, second-class citizens. This expansion led to an increase The church in the number of bishopsNorth-West Africa (today [[Tunisia]] and [[Morocco]]), which looked to Rome and the bishop of AlexandriaWest for leadership, as disappeared even faster than the senior bishop, began to be referred to by the title "Pope" (before the bishops of Rome began using that title)church in Nubia. With Only the establishment of the Alexandrian Catechetical School, Alexandria became an important an important intellectual centre for Christianity as wellChristians in Ethiopia remained free.

Persecutions in the 3rd century gave rise to the monastic movementThe [[Church of Alexandria|Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria]], as people fled from the cities into the desertthen, like those of [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]] and when [[Church of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]], could not do much more than hold on. Mission was out of the persecutions abated, some remained question in a society in which the desert [[conversion]] of a Muslim to prayChristianity was punishable by death. St Antony and St Pachomius organised and regularised Most of the conversions went the monastic life, and it spread from Egypt to other parts of the Christian worldway.

In the 4th 19th century things began to change. Large numbers of Greeks settled in Alexandria, which helped to revitalize the Church there. Also Greek and Syrian traders began settling in other parts of Africa became , establishing Orthodox communities. At the scene of theological controversies same time, Western missionaries, both [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] and [[Protestantism|Protestant]], began evangelising in [[Orthodoxy in Sub-Saharan Africa|sub-Saharan Africa]]. Some Africans who had become Christian, however, began studying Church history, and discovered that shaped the history of Christianity[[Orthodox Church]] was the original one, and therefore sought to become Orthodox. The teaching Different groups in East and West Africa made such discoveries independently of Arius was rejected by St Athanasiuseach other, and sought to be united to the First Ecumenical Council was called [[Church of Alexandria|Patriarchate of Alexandria]]. This led to deal with it a great growth in AD 325Orthodoxy around Lake Victoria, at Nicaeain [[Uganda]], though it was originally an African doctrinal dispute. The result was the Nicene CreedKenya and Tanzania, and later in other parts of tropical Africa as well, which was eventually expanded to become especially in the Symbol second half of Faith ratified by the Fourth Ecumenical council at Chalcedon in 45120th century.

Following the Council Patriarch [[Petros VII (Papapetrou) of ChalcedonAlexandria|Pope Petros VII]], howeverwho was elected in 1997, the Church actively encouraged mission until his untimely death in Egypt was divided: some supported the teaching a helicopter crash on [[September 11]], 2004, along with three other bishops, including Bishop [[Nektarios (Kellis) of the councilMadagascar|Nektarios]], others did nota pioneer missionary in [[Madagascar]]. Each group tried to control the ChurchThe new Patriarch, and get their candidates as His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch. Eventually in the 6th century[[Theodoros II (Choreftakis) of Alexandria|Theodoros]], the split became a schismhimself has missionary experience, and since then there have having been Chalcedonian (Melkite or Greek) and non-Chalcedonian (Coptic) popes Archbishop of Cameroun and patriarchslater [[Zimbabwe]].

One of Today the consequences [[Coptic]] Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the split was divided missions being sent to Nubia, where largest Church in the Northern Middle East and Southern kingdoms were evangelised by non-Chalcedonian missionaries sponsored by Africa. Besides the Coptic Orthodox Church bishops in Sudan (HG Bishop Sarabamon is the Empress Theodora, Coptic Orthodox Bishop of Sudan (Atbara and Om Dorman) and HG Bishop Elija is the central kingdom was evangelised by a Chalcedonian mission sponsored by the Emperor Justinian. The rivalry between the missions meant that they Coptic Orthodox Bishop of Khartoum), Africa also used Greek and currently has two dedicated Coptic as liturgical languagesOrthodox bishops, HG Bishop Antonious Markos and did not follow the principle of translating into the vernacular. The result was that the Nubian Church eventually disappeared HG Bishop Paul (Boulos), serving in missions in about the 15th centuryat least nine African countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Zaire, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, and as far as Johannesburg, South Africa in the people south (in what is today Sudansee [http://www.geocities.com/copticafrica/]) became Muslims. The Ethiopian Church was more successful, but it was aligned to the Coptic group, and remained so aligned after the schism(Bishop names correct as of August 2005--see [http://www.theholysynod.copticpope.org/].)

In the 7th century Muslim Arabs invaded North Africa, and conquered it, which made Christians, after 300 years of freedom, second-class citizens. The church ==See also==[[Orthodoxy in NorthSub-West Saharan Africa (today Tunisia and Morocco), which looked to Rome and the West for leadership, disappeared even faster than the church in Nubia. Only the Christians in Ethiopia remained free.]]

In the 19th century things began to change. Large numbers of Greeks settled in Alexandria, which helped to revitalise the Church there. Also Greek and Syrian traders began settling [[Category:Orthodoxy in other parts of Africa, establishing Orthodox communities. At the same time, Western missionaries, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, began evangelising in sub-Saharan |Africa. Some Africans who had become Christian, however, began studying church history, and discovered that the Orthodox ]][[Category:Church was the original one, and therefore sought to become Orthodox. Different groups in East and West Africa made such discoveries independently of each other, and sought to be united to the Patriarchate of Alexandria. This led to a great growth in Orthodoxy around Lake Victoria, in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, and later in other parts of tropical Africa as well, especially in the second half of the 20th century. History]]