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The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is second to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church among the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches in terms of the size of the community of the faithful in Egypt, from 8 million to 16 million, that is, from 10 percent to 20 percent of the current population of Egypt, with an additional c. 4 million in the world-wide diaspora. In terms of historical and current importance the Coptic Church is unquestionably the first in primacy of honor among the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and she is one of the most important Churches in the entire Orthodox-Catholic Church, the Patriarch of Alexandria having been regarded as the second in primacy after Rome within the entire undivided Church until he was moved in 381 to the third position in the overall taxis by the famous Third Canon of the Second Ecumenical Council, the First Council of Constantinople, which read:

"The Bishop of Constantinople, however, shall have the prerogative of honour after the Bishop of Rome because Constantinople is New Rome."