Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States

This article is about Coptic Orthodoxy in the United States. For Coptic American. For a list of Coptic parishes in the US, see list of Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States
St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Norristown, Pennsylvania (serving Philadelphia).

The immigration of the Copts to the United States of America started as early as the late 1940s. After 1952, the rate of Coptic immigration from Egypt to the United States increased. The first Coptic church in the United States, St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church, was established in the late 1960s in Jersey City.

There are many Coptic Orthodox churches and congregations in the United States. Estimated numbers of adherents, based on church membership, was between 350,000 and 420,000.[1] Based on the estimates of certain Coptic organizations, the number was between 700,000 and one million in 2002.[1] Currently, there are over 200 parishes in the United States that serve the expanding Coptic Orthodox population.[2][3] The Church does have a large population when compared to other smaller Christian bodies, yet is among one of the least known Christian Churches and the least known large Orthodox bodies.

Bishops and Dioceses

There are nine Coptic Orthodox Bishops serving in the United States as of March 2018:

  • Serapion (b. 1951), Metropolitan of the Holy Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California & Hawaii & Abbot of the Monastery of St. Anthony in California (1995).[4]
  • Youssef, Bishop of the Southern Diocese & Abbot of the Monastery of Most Holy Virgin Mary & Saint Moses the Strong in Corpus Christi, Texas.
  • David, Bishop of the Holy Diocese of New York and New England.
  • Michael, Suffragan Bishop of the Holy Suffragan Diocese of Alexandria and all Virginia, United States, assistant to the Pope.
  • Karas, Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia
  • Peter, Bishop of the Holy Diocese of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Kentucky
  • Seraphim, Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Ohio, Michigan and Indiana
  • Kyrillos, General Bishop & assistant to HE Metropolitan Serapion in the Holy Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, & Hawaii.
  • Abraham, General Bishop & assistant to HE Metropolitan Serapion in the Holy Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, & Hawaii.

For the Eritrean Orthodox Church congregation, Macarius, Bishop of the Eritrean Church in the USA. Member of the Eritrean Holy Synod.

Extended Service Areas

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has Churches and congregations in the following regions[5]

Archdiocese of North America

There is one General Bishop serving this Archdiocese, who are directly under the responsibility of the Pope of Alexandria:

In the Archdiocese of North America, there are over 200 Coptic Orthodox Churches. The following States and Districts are served under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese:

Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii

This Diocese is served by one metropolitan and two general bishops:

The Diocese has around 40 churches, a theological school (seminary) and a charity organization called Saint Verena Charity, named after the Coptic Saint Verena).[8] The Diocese serves about 41 churches and has 17 Hegumen and 40 Presbyters. The Diocese of Los Angeles is based at 3803 W. Mission Blvd. Pomona, California 91766 USA.

In California there are also the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great in Barstow and the St. Paul Brotherhood in Murrieta that are also under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Serapion.

Diocese of Southern United States

Bishop Youssef (Joseph) is the Bishop of the Diocese of Southern United States and also is the Abbot of the Monastery of Most Holy Virgin Mary & Saint Moses the Strong in Corpus Christi, Texas. As of May 2016 there were 39 Churches and 29 Communities in this diocese along with a convent in Dawsonville, Georgia, three theological schools (one located in the monastery discussed above, one in Nashville and one in the retreat center discussed next) and retreat center in Titusville. The diocese is headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex suburb of Colleyville, Texas.

The territories covered under this diocese are in the following states (a number in parentheses indicates more than one Church in a city):

Diocese of New York and New England

Bishop David is the Bishop of the Diocese of New York and New England.

As of March, 2017 the Diocese serves about 30 churches and has 18 Hegumen and 23 Presbyters. The territories covered under this diocese are in the following states:

Diocese of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Kentucky

Bishop Peter is the Bishop of the Holy Diocese of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Kentucky. He was ordained as a Bishop of this new Diocese on June 11, 2016.

This diocese currently serves approximately 12 churches and has 8 Presbyters. The diocese is headquartered in St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church of Raleigh, NC. The territories covered in this diocese are in the following states:

Diocese of Ohio, Michigan and Indiana

Bishop Seraphim is the Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. There are currently 11 churches in the diocese area, several Coptic communities, as well as St. Mary and St John the Beloved convent in Warren, Ohio. The number of churches by state in this Diocese is below:

Diocese of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia

Bishop Karas, is the Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia. There are currently 17 churches in the diocese area, several Coptic establishments, as well as St John the Beloved Coptic Orthodox Monastery in Canadensis, Pennsylvania. The number of churches by state in this Diocese is below:

   Virginia (1) St Mary Coptic Orthodox Church Yorktown VA www.stmarycopticva.com

Diocese of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Why CCU?". Coptic Credit Union. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Coptic Church Urges Thorough Investigation In Murder of Jersey City Family". Coptic Church Network, January 20, 2005. Accessed August 11, 2008.
  3. ↑ CNEWA: The Coptic Orthodox Church
  4. ↑ "Coptic Church in U.S. Receives a Bishop". The New York Times. 3 January 1996. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  5. ↑ "Directory of Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States and Canada :: All Churches". Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  6. ↑ "St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in Utah". Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  7. ↑ "St. Mary and St. Rewais - Coptic Orthodox Church - Madison, Wisconsin". Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  8. ↑ "LACopts.org | Parish Directory". Retrieved 3 January 2011.

Saad Michael Saad, “The Contemporary Life of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States,” Studies in World Christianity, Volume 16, pp. 207–225, December 2010. Edinburgh University Press, in hard copy and online PDF:

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