Oriental Orthodox Christianity

Oriental Orthodox Christianity is a communion of ancient churches including Coptic, Armenian, Syriac, Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Malankara traditions.

The family developed after the fifth-century Christological controversies and receives the first three ecumenical councils: Nicaea, Constantinople, and Ephesus. Its churches developed in African, Armenian, Syriac, and Indian settings.

Its Christological language is commonly described as miaphysite and is rooted especially in the Alexandrian and Cyrilline tradition. The label "Monophysite" should not be used as a blanket description.

Its churches preserve rich liturgical, monastic, devotional, and scriptural traditions in several classical languages.

The family consists of self-governing churches, each with its own hierarchy, canon law, and cultural setting.