In the Eritrean Church, why are we not allowed to eat pork?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-09

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, as well as our sister Oriental Orthodox Church of Eritrea, the question of dietary laws involves a distinction between theological "permissibility" and deeply rooted "tradition and discipline."

Theologically, the New Testament makes it clear that all foods are ritually clean. Our Lord Jesus Christ stated that it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of it (Matthew 15:11). Furthermore, the vision of St. Peter in Acts 10 showed that God had cleansed what was previously considered "unclean" under the Mosaic Law. St. Paul also wrote, "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving" (1 Timothy 4:4).

However, the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church maintains a very strict adherence to many Old Testament prescriptions—often more strictly than the Coptic Church—due to their unique historical and cultural heritage. Here are the primary reasons why pork is avoided in that tradition:

1. Biblical Continuity: The Eritrean and Ethiopian traditions place a high value on the continuity between the Old and New Testaments. They observe many practices found in the Pentateuch (the books of Moses), including the prohibition of "unclean" meats listed in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
2. Spiritual Discipline: Beyond the legalism of the Old Testament, the avoidance of pork is viewed as a form of asceticism and spiritual discipline. By abstaining from certain foods, the faithful exercise self-control and maintain a sense of holiness (዇ኟዉኃኟ).
3. Cultural and Historical Identity: The Rite of the Tewahedo Church has preserved Semitic influences that date back to the earliest centuries of Christianity. Just as they practice male circumcision on the eighth day and observe the Saturday Sabbath (in addition to Sunday), the dietary restriction of pork is a marker of their specific ecclesiastical identity.
4. Distinction from Heretics and Non-Believers: Historically, maintaining specific dietary habits helped Christian communities remain distinct from pagan or heretical groups. For the Eritrean Church, keeping these laws is a way of honoring the "Law of the Fathers."

In the Coptic Orthodox perspective, while we do not forbid pork on a strictly dogmatic basis (the way a Jew or a Muslim might), we understand and respect the discipline of the Eritrean Church. For an Eritrean Orthodox Christian, eating pork is considered a violation of the "Agape" (love) and the laws of the Church Fathers, and therefore a matter of disobedience to the spiritual authority of their specific tradition.