St. George Coptic Orthodox Church (Philadelphia)

St George Coptic Orthodox Church (Coptic: Ϯⲉⲕ'ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⳿ⲛⲣⲉⲙ⳿ⲛⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⳿ⲛⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ ⳿ⲛⲧⲉ ⲫⲏⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ Ⲅⲉ⳿ⲱⲣⲅⲓⲟⲥ // transliteration: ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos ente fi.ethowab Gewargios) is one of the oldest Coptic Orthodox churches established in North America.[1] It is one of over 200 Coptic Orthodox Churches in the US.[2][3]

Saint George Coptic Orthodox Church of Greater Philadelphia
The entrance of St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
40.1148°N 75.3419°W / 40.1148; -75.3419
LocationNorristown, Pennsylvania
CountryUnited States
DenominationCoptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
Websitestgeorgephilly.org
History
Founded1969
DedicationSaint George
Dedicated1969
ConsecratedOctober 1994
Architecture
Architectural typechurch
StyleCoptic, Greek Revival
Years built1863
Administration
DioceseArchdiocese of North America, under the Pope of Alexandria
Clergy
Bishop(s)Pope Theodoros II
Bishop Karas
Priest(s)Fr. Roufail Z. Youssef
Fr. Mina Shaheid

History

St. George Coptic Orthodox Church is the first Coptic Orthodox church that was established in Pennsylvania during 1969 [4] and was incorporated in May 1973 [1] with 30 families at the time.[5] Several Coptic Orthodox priests served the congregation in churches of other denominations until 1980, when the Conshohocken building was purchased. Pope Shenouda III assigned Father Samuel Thabet Samuel to head that church in September 1983, and Father Samuel and his wife and two children left Egypt and moved to Roxborough.

The congregation later bought the current building in Norristown, Pennsylvania. The parish was built in 1863 using Greek revival architecture. It was originally a Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.[6] In order for the building to allow for Coptic Orthodox Liturgies, the interior required a partial conversion for that use. The exterior, however, retained its architectural style. The building was consecrated in October 1994, by Pope Shenouda III.[5]

The parish had more than one priest in its history. Fr. Angelos Habib Boghdadi served the parish in its early years, as well as several other Coptic Churches throughout the States, including St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in Ambridge, Pennsylvania. Fr. Boghdadi is currently the priest of St. George Church in Tampa, Florida.[7]

Formative years

During the church's formative years in the 1980s, Fr. Samuel Thabet Samuel was the parish priest. He served until 1990 when summoned by Pope Shenouda III to serve St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Chicago, Illinois , becoming the senior priest. In 1991 Pope Shenouda sent Fr. Roufail Z. Youssef as parish priest. Over 300 Coptic families are served by St. George's Church.[5]

See also

References
  1. Dates of Incorporations of Coptic Orthodox Churches in North America (Retrieved 08-07-2008)
  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 Archived 2009-08-13 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 17-07-2008)
  4. Congregation Faces Obstacles In Bid For New Church - Philly.com (Retrieved 22-02-1990)
  5. Church Data (Retrieved 08-07-2008)
  6. Montgomery County: St. George Coptic Orthodox Church (Retrieved 08-07-2008)
  7. Biography of Fr. Angelos H. Boghdadi (Retrieved 08-07-2008)
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