Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States
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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 formed in the United States is St. Mark's Coptic Church in Jersey City, NJ which was 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. Based on the estimates of certain Coptic organizations, the number was between 700,000 and one million [1] [2] in the year 2002. Now, there are over 200 parishes in the United States that serve the expanding Coptic Orthodox population.
Bishops and Dioceses
There are five 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 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.
Extended Service Areas
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has Churches and congregations in the following regions [1] [2]
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:
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New York
- New Jersey
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin [3]
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)[4]. The Diocese of LA is based at 3803 W. Mission Blvd. Pomona, California 91766 USA
In 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 and Abbot 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.
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. There are 23 churches and 28 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:
See also
- Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
- Copts
- Coptic alphabet
- Coptic calendar
- Coptic iconography
- Coptic language
- Coptic music
- Coptic abstinence
- Coptic orphans
- List of Coptic Orthodox Popes of Alexandria
- Patriarch of Alexandria
- Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria
- The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria
- Oriental Orthodoxy
- British Orthodox Church
- Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia
- Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada
- Coptic Orthodox Church in Europe
- Coptic Orthodox Church in South America
- Egypt
- The French Coptic Orthodox Church
External links
- Coptic Orthodox Church Directory — Updated Directory of Churches in the United States
- http://www.coptic.us/
- Another Coptic Orthodox Church Directory
- http://copticchurch.net/topics/directory/
- Coptic Links
- http://www.coptic.org/
- Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles — Website
- http://www.lacopts.org/
- Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States — Website
- http://www.suscopts.org/
- Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America — Website
- http://www.nacopts.org/
- Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark, first Coptic Church in the United States
- http://www.saintmark.com
References
- ^ Coptic Orthodox Church directory on http://coptic.us/church_showsub.asp?cat_id=1&cat=USA
- ^ Another directory on http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/directory/churches_all.php
- ^ http://www.stmaryandstrewais.com/
- ^ Churches of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles website http://www.lacopts.org/index.php/churches/
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