When did St. Mark start the Coptic Church?

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

The Coptic Orthodox Church was founded by St. Mark the Evangelist in the first century.

The established historical timeline for his ministry in Egypt is as follows:

• Arrival in Alexandria: St. Mark arrived in Alexandria around 43–44 A.D. (the fourth decade of the first century). Upon his arrival, he performed his first miracle in Egypt by healing the finger of Anianus, a shoemaker, who subsequently became the first convert and later the second Patriarch.
• Establishment of the Church: The first church building in Alexandria was established at the beginning of the second half of the first century.
• The School of Alexandria: St. Mark not only preached the Gospel but also established the Catechetical School of Alexandria (the Seminary). This institution was founded to defend the faith against pagan philosophy and was central to the academic and spiritual development of Coptic hymnody and theology.
• Martyrdom: St. Mark’s ministry in Egypt concluded with his martyrdom on Holy Resurrection Sunday, May 8, 68 A.D. He was dragged through the streets of Alexandria by a rope around his neck until he departed to be with the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Coptic Orthodox Church is an Apostolic Church, serving as a living extension of the primitive apostolic era. It is one of the four most ancient sees in the world, alongside Jerusalem, Rome, and Antioch. St. Mark is the first of an unbroken chain of 117 Patriarchs, leading to the current Papacy of the See of St. Mark.