Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States Information & Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States Links at HealthHaven.com

	Part of the series on; Copts; ;
	Culture
	Architecture · Art · Calendar; Coptology · Cross · Fasting; Flag · History · Literature; Music · Monasticism · Persecution;
	Regions
	Egypt · United States · Canada ·; Africa · Asia · Australia ·; Europe · South America;
	Religions
	Coptic Orthodox Church ·; Coptic Catholic Church ·; Coptic Evangelical Church ·; Other Protestants
	Language
	Egyptian language · Coptic language
	Writing Systems
	Hieroglyphs · Hieratic ·; Demotic · Coptic
	v • d • e

This article is about Coptic Orthodoxy in the United States. 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 might have started as early as the late 1940s. After 1952, Coptic immigration from Egypt to the United States increased in general. The first church that was founded in the United States is St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church in Jersey City, which was first formed in the late 1960s.

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 ^[1] [1] [2] [3] [4] in the year 2002. 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.

[edit] Bishops and Dioceses

There are Six Coptic Orthodox Bishops serving in the United States:

His Grace Serapion, Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California & Hawaii, USA.

His Grace Youssef (Joseph), Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Southern United States & Abbot of the Monastery of Most Holy Virgin Mary & Saint Moses the Strong in Corpus Christi, Texas.

His Grace Youhanna (John), General Bishop & Patriarchal Exarch in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, Archdiocese of North America.

His Grace Mena (Menas), Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Fresno, Central California, USA.

His Grace David, General Bishop and Patriarchal Exarch in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, Archdiocese of North America.

And for the Eritrean Orthodox Church congregation, His Grace Macarius, Bishop of the Eritrean Church in the USA. Member of the Eritrean Holy Synod.

There also is the vacant throne of the Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great in Barstow, California, after the departure of the thrice-blessed Bishop Abbot Karas.

[edit] Extended Service Areas

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has Churches and congregations in the following regions ^[4]

[edit] Archdiocese of North America

There are two Exarchs of the Throne serving this Archdiocese, which is directly under the responsibility of the Pope of Alexandria:

His Grace Youhanna (John), General Bishop & Patriarchal Exarch in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, Archdiocese of North America.
His Grace David, General Bishop and Patriarchal Exarch in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, Archdiocese of North America.

In the Archdiocese of North America, there are over 100 Coptic Orthodox Churches. The following States and Districts are served under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese:

[edit] Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii

His Grace Serapion is the Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii.

The Diocese has around 30 churches, a theological school (seminary) and a charity organization called Saint Verena Charity , named after the Coptic Saint Verena)^[9]. The Diocese of Los Angeles is based at 3803 W. Mission Blvd. Pomona, California 91766 USA

[edit] Diocese of Fresno, Central California

His Grace Mena (Menas) is the Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Fresno, Central California.

There also is an independent Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great in Barstow that is under the jurisdiction of the Pope of Alexandria. The throne of the Bishop of the monastery was vacant ever since the death of the thrice-blessed Bishop Karas, but is currently overseen by a Hegumen Hieromonk, Father Anastasi St. Anthony, who is currently the Abbot.

His Grace Bishop Mena (Menas), Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Fresno.

The territories covered under this diocese are in the following cities:

[edit] Diocese of Southern United States

His Grace 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 November 2008, there are 26 Churches and 26 Coptic Communities (mission parishes) in this diocese along with a theological school (seminary). 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:

Alabama (Communities in Birmingham and Mobile)
Arizona (Church in Phoenix; Communities in Northwest Phoenix, Tucson, and Northern Arizona)
Arkansas (Community in Little Rock)
Florida (Churches in Clearwater, Daytona Beach, Fort Myers, Melbourne, Miami, Orlando (2), Pompano Beach, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach; Communities in Destin, Florida, Gainesville, Florida, Jacksonville, the Florida Keys, Panama City, Pensacola, and Sarasota)
Georgia (Churches in Atlanta and Suwanee Georgia (2); Communities in Augusta and Savannah)
Louisiana (Church in New Orleans; Communities in Lafayette and Shreveport)
New Mexico (Community in Albuquerque)
Oklahoma (Church in Tulsa; Community in Lawton)
Tennessee (Churches in Nashville (3); Communities in Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Memphis)
Texas (Churches in Colleyville (co-located with Diocese Headquarters), Dallas, Euless, Houston (3), and San Antonio; Communities in Austin, College Station, Corpus Christi, and Lubbock)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b "Why CCU?". Coptic Credit Union. Accessed June 21, 2009. http://www.copticcu.com/WhyCCU.html.
^ "Coptic Church Urges Thorough Investigation In Murder of Jersey City Family". Coptic Church Network, January 20, 2005. Accessed August 11, 2008.
^ CNEWA: The Coptic Orthodox Church
^ Church Directory on http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/directory/churches_all.php
^ St. Mary & St. John Coptic Orthodox Church :: San Ramon, California
^ http://www.antonious.org/
^ St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church - Salt Lake City, Utah (incorporated as of Dec. 2007)
^ St. Mary and St. Rewais - Coptic Orthodox Church - Madison, Wisconsin
^ Churches of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles website http://www.lacopts.org/index.php/churches/

[CCU-0] "Why CCU?". Coptic Credit Union. Accessed June 21, 2009. http://www.copticcu.com/WhyCCU.html.

[1] "Coptic Church Urges Thorough Investigation In Murder of Jersey City Family". Coptic Church Network, January 20, 2005. Accessed August 11, 2008.

[2] CNEWA: The Coptic Orthodox Church

[3] Church Directory on http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/directory/churches_all.php

[4] St. Mary & St. John Coptic Orthodox Church :: San Ramon, California

[5] ttp://www.antonious.org/

[6] St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church - Salt Lake City, Utah (incorporated as of Dec. 2007)

[7] St. Mary and St. Rewais - Coptic Orthodox Church - Madison, Wisconsin

[8] Churches of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles website http://www.lacopts.org/index.php/churches/

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

Contents