Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England

Last updated
Diocese of New York and New England
Logo - Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England.png
Location
Country United States
Territory Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
Statistics
Population
- Total		(as of 2015)
22,935,940
Parishes33
Information
Denomination Oriental Orthodox
Rite Coptic Orthodox
Established16 November 2013
CathedralSaint Mina and Pope Kyrillos VI Cathedral, Chestnut Ridge, New York
Secular priests 50
Current leadership
Pope Pope Tawadros II
BishopBishop David
Website
www.nynecopts.org

The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England, also referred to as the Coptic Diocese of New York, is a diocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It was founded in 2013 and encompasses the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont in the United States of America. The diocese's first and current bishop is His Grace Bishop David.

Contents

History

Early community

Coptic Immigration to the United States began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of these early immigrants came on temporary scholarships and education visas, as the National Origins Formula used by the United States at the time barred Egyptians, among other non-Northern Europeans, from becoming US Citizens. [1] After the full implementation of the 1965 Immigration Act, the restrictions set forth by the National Origins Formula were repealed and Copts were able to gain entry into the United States with permanent resident status. Many Copts thus immigrated to the USA in search of religious freedom, political stability, and economic opportunity. [1] By the 1970s, many of those newly immigrated Copts had settled in New York and New England, and their numbers continued to grow as the years went on. [2] For many years, the few Coptic churches there were administered by the Archdiocese of North America (which is under the auspices of the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church). Bishop David, the current bishop of the diocese, had formerly served only as a general bishop in New England under the aforementioned archdiocese for several years, formally under Pope Shenouda III.

Diocese

By the 2010s, the Coptic population had grown sufficiently large to support an independent diocese. Pope Tawadros II created the Diocese of New York and New England out of the geographic areas written in the name of the diocese; its territory was taken from the Archdiocese of North America. [2] Pope Tawadros called upon Bishop David, to be diocesan bishop for the diocese in a two-day ceremony from November 16–17, 2013, in Cairo, Egypt. [2] An official enthronement ceremony for Bishop David took place on 7 December 2013 at St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church in Woodbury, New York. [2] As a diocesan bishop, Bishop David has the authority to ordain priests for the diocese's churches, in accordance with the needs and capabilities of the respective church congregations.

The current Seat of the bishopric is located at the Saint Mina and Pope Kyrillos VI Cathedral in Chestnut Ridge, New York.

Demographics

YearMembershipPriestsParishes
HegumenPresbytersTotal
2013-----
2014-----
2015-193150 [3] 26
2021182341 [3] 33

Current parishes

Parishes

Connecticut

  • Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Hamden [4]
  • The Holy Theotokos and Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church, Cheshire [5]
  • St. Peter and St. Andrew Coptic Orthodox Church, Stamford [6]
  • St. Mary and St. Moses the Strong Coptic Orthodox Church, Waterford

Maine

Massachusetts

  • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Natick [7]
  • St. Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Scituate [8]
  • St. Paul and St. John Chrysostom Coptic Orthodox Church, Boston [9]
  • The Holy Family Coptic Orthodox Church, Attleboro [10]
  • St. Philopateer and St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, Wayland [11]
  • St. Mary and St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church, Fall River
  • St. Mary and St. Tomas Coptic Orthodox Church, Gardner
  • St. Shenouda and St. Karas Coptic Orthodox Church, Linwood [12]
  • Holy Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard (El-Karma), Charlton

New Hampshire

  • St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Nashua [13]

New York

Rhode Island

  • St. Mary and St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, Hope [25]
  • St. Mary and St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, Cranston [25]

Vermont

  • St. Mary and Archangel Raphael Coptic Orthodox Church, Burlington

Communities and missions

Coptic Orthodox communities and missions are congregations of Copts who gather for religious services but do not have a sufficient number of people to support a full parish.

Connecticut

New York

  • St. Peter and St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Mission, Rochester

Monastery

The diocese had previously announced plans to formally establish a monastery in the Boston region, under the name of Virgin Mary & Pope Kyrillos VI in Charlton, Massachusetts. This would be the first monastery to be established in the diocese, and the third in North America. It would also be the first monastery in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church to be named after Saint Pope Kyrillos VI. As of September 2022, plans for this monastery are currently set for it to be established in Dover Plains, New York, under the same name. [26]

Response to allegations of sexual abuse

In response to allegations of sexual abuse within neighboring dioceses, [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] on July 22, 2020, the diocese announced that it would be working to prevent sexual abuse. Further, they stated " If anyone is aware of any suspected incident of sexual abuse of a minor by any such person, we urge you to immediately report to law enforcement and also to your Regional Vicar..." They further stated that they will put in all efforts to curb such conduct. [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coptic Orthodox Church</span> Oriental Orthodox Church

The Coptic Orthodox Church, also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, is an Oriental Orthodox Christian church based in Egypt, serving Africa and the Middle East. The head of the church and the See of Alexandria is the Pope of Alexandria on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark, who also carries the title of Father of fathers, Shepherd of shepherds, Ecumenical Judge and the 13th among the Apostles. The See of Alexandria is titular. The Coptic Pope presides from Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in the Abbassia District in Cairo. The church follows the Coptic Rite for its liturgy, prayer and devotional patrimony. Christians in Egypt total about four million people, and Coptic Christians make up Egypt’s largest and most significant minority population, and the largest population of Christians in the Middle East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria</span> Head of the Coptic Church from 1959 to 1971

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope Cyril V of Alexandria</span> Head of the Coptic Church from 1874 to 1927

Pope Cyril V of Alexandria (Abba Kyrillos V), 112th Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark for 52 years, 9 months and 6 days. He was the longest-serving Pope in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He was born as Youhanna (John) in 1824 or 1830/1831 according to different accounts and he died on 7 August 1927.

The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the highest Orthodox authority in the Coptic Orthodox Church. It formulates the rules and regulations regarding matters of the Church's organisation and faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coptic Orthodox Church in Britain and Ireland</span>

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has several churches in Great Britain and Ireland under the jurisdiction of four diocesan bishops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States</span>

Copts, many of whom are adherents of the Coptic Orthodox Church, began migrating to the United States of America in 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada</span>

The immigration of the Copts to Canada might have started as early as the late 1950s. Due to an increasing amount of discrimination towards Copts in Egypt in the 1970s and low income in Egypt. Canada has been receiving a greater number of these immigrants, and the number of Coptic immigrants into Canada has been growing ever since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coptic Orthodox Church in Asia</span>

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has many churches and congregations in the continent of Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coptic Orthodox Church in North America</span>

The Copts began to immigrate to the United States as early as the late 1940s. Immigration to Canada was soon to follow, and in general, this was to be the case throughout North America in the coming decades. With hundreds of Coptic Orthodox churches in the United States alone, it is estimated that there are over one million Coptic Orthodox Christians in North America.

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The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States is a diocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria located in the United States of America and encompassing the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishop Kyrillos</span> American Coptic Orthodox church Bishop

Bishop Kyrillos is the first American-born bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He serves as General Bishop of Christian Education for the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii. He is also the Dean of St. Athanasius and St. Cyril Theological School in Anaheim, California. He also serves as the Head of the Sub-Committee for Ecumenical Dialogue within the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of Jerusalem</span> Metropolitan Archdiocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church

The Holy and Ancient Archdiocese of Jerusalem, All Palestine, and All the Near East or the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem, is a Metropolitan Archdiocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church, which is part of the wider communion of the Oriental Orthodox Church. It is headed by the Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan Archbishop of Jerusalem, the incumbent being Metropolitan Archbishop Antonious of Jerusalem since 2016. Its jurisdiction covers those Coptic Orthodox Christians living in the Near East; with churches and monasteries in the State of Palestine, the State of Kuwait, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Lebanese Republic, the Syrian Arab Republic, and the Republic of Iraq. The adherents are largely of Coptic Egyptian descent, mainland Coptic migrants and their descendants. The archdiocese is based at St Anthony's Monastery, in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, beside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

References

  1. 1 2 Gabriel, Esmat M. (2021). The History of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States: From the Land of the Pharaohs to the United States of America. Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "The Diocese | Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England". www.nynecopts.org. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  3. 1 2 "Our Clergy | Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England". www.nynecopts.org. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  4. ↑ "Home". Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  5. ↑ "HTSA Coptic App". htsacopticmobile.azurewebsites.net. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  6. ↑ "St. Peter & St. Andrew Coptic Orthodox Church". www.spsa.church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  7. ↑ "Home". St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church - Natick, MA. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  8. ↑ "St.Mary & St.George Coptic Orthodox Church". saintmaryandsaintgeorge.org. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  9. ↑ "Welcome to St Paul & St John Chrysostom Coptic Orthodox Church of Boston". St Paul & St John Chrysostom Coptic Orthodox Church of Boston. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  10. ↑ "Home". The Holy Family Coptic Orthodox Church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  11. ↑ "Home". Saint Philopater Mecurius & Saint Mina. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  12. ↑ "Saint Shenouda and Saint Karas Coptic Orthodox Church". stshenoudastkaras.com. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  13. ↑ "Home". St Mary And Archangel Michael. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  14. ↑ "Home". michaelmenasi.org. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  15. ↑ "St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church". Archived from the original on 2019-05-27.
  16. ↑ "Home". www.stgeorgeastoria.church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  17. ↑ "Saint George Coptic Orthodox Church" . Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  18. ↑ "St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church Rochester". www.stmarksofrochester.com. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  19. ↑ "St. Mary & St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church". Archived from the original on 2000-10-17.
  20. ↑ "Virgin Mary & Saint Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church of White Plains, NY". Virgin Mary & Saint Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church of White Plains, NY. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  21. ↑ "St. Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church of Albany, NY - Home". www.stmarystgeorge.org. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  22. ↑ "St Mary & St Mina Syracuse". www.stmarystminacopticchurch.org. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  23. ↑ "St.Mary & St.Moses". St.Mary & St.Moses. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  24. ↑ "Virgin Mary & St. Pachomius Coptic Orthodox Church". Virgin Mary & St. Pachomius Coptic Orthodox Church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  25. 1 2 "« St. Mary and St. Mena" . Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  26. ↑ "St. Mary & Pope Kyrillos Monastery - Diocese of New York & New England" . Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  27. ↑ "Coptic Survivor". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  28. ↑ "Egyptian Coptic Priest Defrocked Following Allegations of Sexual Abuse, Paedophilia". Egyptian Streets. 2020-07-19. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  29. ↑ "Coptic Church strips alleged paedophile priest of clerical status". The National. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  30. ↑ "Coptic Pope Defrocks US-linked Priest Accused Of Paedophilia". barrons.com. Agence France Presse. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  31. ↑ "Coptic Pope Defrocks US-Linked Priest Accused of Paedophilia". Voxafrica. 2020-07-18. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  32. ↑ "Coptic pope defrocks US-linked priest accused of paedophilia". Arab News. 2020-07-18. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  33. ↑ "Coptic Pope Defrocks US-Linked Priest Accused Of Paedophilia". Channels Television. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  34. ↑ "Coptic Archdiocese of North America". copticarch.org. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  35. ↑ "Joint Statement on Sexual Misconduct". Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England. 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2020-11-30.

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