Learn · FAQ
Questions visitors ask
A place to begin, to ask freely, and to understand what you see and hear at church.
156 answers in 8 topics.
Your first Sunday at St. Stephen
- Divine Liturgy
- Sundays, 7:45–11:15 AM
- Address
- 18937 Kz Rd., Cypress, TX 77433
The questions on the Visit page link to these answers.
First visit
Start here
The questions first-time visitors ask most.
- Visiting and belonging
Can I attend if I’m not Orthodox?
Yes. A person who is not Orthodox may attend the services, pray, listen, observe, and ask questions.
Read the answer - Visiting and belonging
What should I wear?
Wear clothing that is modest, clean, and respectful for prayer. You do not need special clothes to visit.
Read the answer - Visiting and belonging
How long should I expect to be there?
A Sunday Divine Liturgy can take several hours, especially if Matins, readings, homily, Communion, and parish announcements are included.
Read the answer - Reverence and participation
When should I stand?
Stand when you can, especially for the Gospel, the Creed, major Eucharistic prayers, blessings, and Communion.
Read the answer - Language and chant
Why are parts of the service in Coptic?
Coptic is used in the service because it is the inherited liturgical language of the Egyptian Church.
Read the answer - Beliefs and tradition
What does “Coptic” mean?
Coptic means Egyptian, but in the Church it means more than ancestry.
Read the answer
156 answers
Browse by topic
Visiting and belonging
Who can come, how to begin, what to wear, and who to speak with next.
- Can I attend if I’m not Orthodox?
- Which service is best for a first-time visitor?
- How do I read a Coptic church service schedule?
- How early should I arrive?
- How long should I expect to be there?
Divine Liturgy
What is happening in the service, from incense and readings to the offering.
- What is the Divine Liturgy?
- What are the main parts of the Divine Liturgy?
- What is the Offering of the Lamb?
- How has the Coptic Orthodox Church chosen the Scripture readings, and what does their order mean?
- Why is the Gospel read with candles, incense, and procession?
Reverence and participation
Standing, sitting, bowing, icons, the sign of the cross, and worship posture.
- When should I stand?
- Why do people face east when they pray?
- Why do people make the sign of the Cross?
- Why do people bow when the incense passes by them?
- Why do people kiss icons?
Language and chant
Coptic, Greek, Arabic, English, repeated responses, hymns, and how to join in.
- Why are parts of the service in Coptic?
- How does the Church in the United States choose the languages of her services?
- What does “Kyrie eleison” mean?
- Why does the Church chant her prayers?
- Why do the melodies change during Lent, Holy Week, feasts, and ordinary Sundays?
Holy Mysteries
The seven Holy Mysteries, grace, visible signs, and sacramental life in Christ.
- What are the Holy Mysteries in the Coptic Orthodox Church?
- How does the Holy Spirit work through the Holy Mysteries?
- What are the seven Holy Mysteries?
- Which Holy Mysteries are called redemptive?
- Why are Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, and Eucharist central to salvation?
Priesthood and deacons
Why clergy and deacons serve as they do, and what the vestments signify.
- What is the priest called?
- Why do priests wear black clothing outside the altar service?
- Why do many Coptic priests have beards?
- Why does the priest wear white vestments during the Liturgy?
- Who are the deacons?
Prayer and fasting
The Agpeya, the hours of prayer, fasting, feasts, and daily spiritual life.
- What is the Agpeya?
- Why does the Orthodox Church fast?
- What is Great Lent?
- What is Holy Week or Pascha?
- Why is Coptic Christmas usually on January 7?
Beliefs and tradition
Scripture, Holy Tradition, icons, St. Mary, saints, relics, and doctrine.
- What does “Coptic” mean?
- How does the Coptic Orthodox Church confess the Christian faith?
- What does the Coptic Orthodox Church believe about Jesus Christ?
- What does the Coptic Orthodox Church teach about the Holy Trinity?
- Why does the Church rely on Holy Tradition?
Terminology
Plain definitions for the liturgical and church terms used across these answers, from Abouna and Agpeya to Theotokos and Vespers. 57 terms.