Some new members of the Coptic Church, who were married to non-Coptics prior to baptism and admission into the Coptic faith, are being deprived of communion because their spouses are not Coptics. That practice is contrary to and viewed as "a death dealing punishment" by the Canons (c. 55 of the 92 Canons). The Coptic Church teaches such new members to move out of the marriage bed and/or seek civil divorce as the requirement for receiving communion. That practice is contrary to the Canons (c. 48 of the 85 Canons). The Canons state that a priest who refuses to undertake the care of those placed in their hands are to be amerced, and the proud are deposed. The Canons also state that a priest must not act without the authority of their bishop. Such actions, including their argument from silence, therefore
place the Synod and Clergy of the Coptic Church above and outside the Sacred
and Divine Canons, and thereby make the Coptic Church a schismatic and
heretical group by their own acts.
Office of the Metropolitan
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