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I am a practicing Catholic recently got engaged to a practicing Coptic Orthodox. We have always supported each other's religion, and attended services at both churches. Since both of us are from one apostolic church, why then, do I need to convert in order to be married in the.Orthodox Church?

Marriage is one of the Church's mysteries through which a man and a women unite becoming no longer two, but one. To be one in everything, they need to hold the exact same faith, not only in our Lord Jesus Christ; but also in the Church's dogmas. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church has now a good number of dogmas that are not biblical and therefore rejected by our Coptic Church; some examples are the Immaculate Conception, the Purgatory, the infallibility of the Pope and more.

Recently the Catholic Church has been accepting and performing mixed marriages, not only between a Catholic and a Christian from another different denomination, but even between a Catholic and a person from another religion. However, this is not the case with the Coptic Church. In the Coptic Crowning ceremony (i.e. the marriage ceremony) the officiating priest puts the priesthood robe on the bridegroom; thus  symbolizing that he is the priest of this new family being formed through Holy Spirit. How can one be a priest to a family each member of which believe in different dogmas.

We do believe that the Catholic Church is an Apostolic Church; but until we resolve these dogmatic dissimilarities; we are not in full communion. I highly recommend that you sit with a Coptic priest and get him to explain to both of you the differences between the two faiths. Believe me, it is very important for your marriage that both of you have the same beliefs and commit yourselves to one Church so that your future children feel they belong to one Church and do not get confused.