The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States was established in 1993 by Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria in response to the growing number of Coptic Orthodox Churches abroad, especially concentrated in the South. It was the first Coptic Orthodox Diocese to be established in the United States.[1]
Statistics
Year
Membership
Priests
Parishes
Hegumen
Presbyters
Total
Churches
Communities
Total
1993
0
5
5
6*
-
6*
1994
0
6
6
6*
-
6*
1995
0
7
7
6*
-
6*
1996
0
8
8
7*
-
7*
1997
1
10
11
7*
-
7*
1998
1
11
12
7*
-
7*
1999
1
13
14
7*
-
7*
2000
2
15
17
7*
-
7*
2001
3
17
20
7*
-
7*
2002
3
19
22
7*
-
7*
2003
3
20
23
7*
-
7*
2004
3
20
23
7*
1*
8*
2005
6
20
26
9*
1*
10*
2006
6
21
27
9*
1*
10*
2007
9
22
31
10*
1*
11*
2008
9
24
33
10*
1*
11*
2009
9
26
35
12*
1*
13*
2010
10
29
39
12*
1*
13*
2011
10
28
38
16*
1*
17*
2012
10
36
46
18*
4*
22*
2013
9
38
47
19*
4*
23*
2014
9
38
47
19*
4*
23*
2015
9
40
49
38
28
64
*Number of confirmed churches; actual number of churches in any given year could have
and probably was much larger.
Parishes and schools
As of 2023, the Diocese of the Southern United States operates 64 parishes. However, only 38 of these of formal churches, the other 26 are categorized as communities, which means that they are congregations, and usually possess a church building, but are not full churches yet in that they are not large enough by diocesan standards to be recognized as churches. Communities are served by a visiting priest from a recognized church.[citation needed]
Schools
The diocese currently operates one school, and religious education is provided to children in the form of Sunday School classes at local Coptic churches.[2]
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