Are there any differences between the six Oriental Orthodox Churches?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

The six Oriental Orthodox Churches—the Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Malankara (Indian)—form one family in full communion. We are united by the same "Miaphysite" Christology, as we all follow the teachings of St. Cyril of Alexandria and reject the Council of Chalcedon. We believe in one nature of the Incarnate Word.

While we are identical in faith (dogma), there are distinct differences in tradition, language, and liturgy:

1. Liturgical Rites and Languages

Each church has its own unique liturgical heritage and language:

• Coptic Orthodox: Uses the Liturgies of St. Basil, St. Gregory, and St. Cyril. The primary liturgical language is Coptic, specifically the Bohairic dialect.
• Syriac Orthodox: Uses the Liturgy of St. James and the West Syrian Rite. Its liturgical language is Syriac (Aramaic), the language spoken by Christ.
• Armenian Apostolic: Uses a unique liturgy and the Armenian language. It is the only Oriental church that uses unleavened bread and unmixed wine (no water) in the Eucharist.
• Ethiopian & Eritrean Tewahedo: Use the Ge'ez language and have a very ancient, distinct rite that includes the use of drums and sistra in chanting. They utilize more liturgies (anaphoras) than any other church (14 in total).
• Malankara (Indian): Follows the West Syrian Rite (similar to the Syriac Church) but incorporates Indian cultural elements and uses Malayalam as the primary language.

2. Hymnology and Music

The musical traditions vary greatly based on geography and history:

• Coptic: Our music is primarily vocal and reflects ancient Egyptian roots. It is organized into meters like Adam and Watos. Famous hymns like Pek’thronos are unique to our Good Friday service and are considered some of the most monumental religious compositions in the world.
• Ethiopian: Their music (Zema) is performed with swaying movements and specific instruments, reflecting their unique African heritage.

3. Church Calendars and Customs

• Calendars: Most of the family follows the Julian or the Coptic/Julian calendar. However, the Armenian Church celebrates Christmas and Epiphany on the same day (January 6th), which was the ancient practice of the early Church.
• Fasting: While all Oriental churches have strict fasting traditions, the lengths and specific dates of certain fasts (like the Fast of Nineveh) can vary slightly between the churches.
• Scriptural Canon: The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has the largest biblical canon in Christendom, consisting of 81 books, including books like Enoch and Jubilees, which other churches consider useful but do not necessarily accord canonical scriptural status.

4. Jurisdiction and Governance

While we are "One Church" in spirit, each is autocephalous, meaning each has its own independent Patriarch or Catholicos.

• The Pope of Alexandria holds a "primacy of honor" as the successor of St. Mark, but he does not have jurisdictional authority over the Armenian or Syriac Churches.

Summary

If you walk into any of these six churches, you are receiving the same Body and Blood of Christ and hearing the same Orthodox faith. The differences are purely "cultural clothes"—the language, the tunes, and the artistic expressions—that adorn the same unchanging Apostolic truth.