THE CULTURE OF THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH: SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES WITH THE BYZANTINE AND RUSSIAN TRADITIONS

Egypt is the only country which Jesus Christ visited. There is a special feast Entrance of the Lord to Egypt celebrated there, and the icon to which we refer as the "Escape to Egypt" is honored. Monasticism was founded in Egypt, where ancient monastic traditions have been preserved for centuries and the ancient Egyptian saints are revered not only in Egyptian church, but throughout the whole Orthodox world. Iconographic images are understandable to people who are familiar with the symbols of Christian icons, frescoes and miniatures. Having compared the form of Coptic iconography and Byzantine and Russian iconography of Eucharist of the Apostles, we can put forward the assumption that the tradition of separate Holy Communion in bread and wine is figuratively recorded in" odox iconography schemes (in the countries under Byzantine influence, such as Greece (Mount Athos), Russia), and is preserved in the form of Egyptian iconography. Relics of Saints, along with the icons are revered in the Coptic Church, as well as in Russian church. The most interesting items which are not common in the Russian Christian tradition, are clay vessels for essential oils. The architecture of the parochial churches retained a Byzantine influence as for the "choirs" for women, which is not preserved in Russian churches. Culture of the Coptic Church has a long and rich cultural tradition and it requires studying and cooperation in this field with international organizations and communities.