Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales
Encyclopedia
The Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales has two churches in Wales
. The first is in South Wales
and the other in North Wales
.
of the Church of Alexandria
that the Church had sent missionaries in the 3rd or 4th century to the Celtic lands
, especially monastics.
It is also known within the Celtic tradition, especially in Ireland
, that the foundation of the monastic system
among the Celts was either based in portion on or inspired by the Egypt
ian monastic
system and there are many traces of Alexandrine
theology embedded in Celtic theology
. And so, the return of the Church of Alexandria
to these lands is of certain importance.
in the town of Risca
, South Wales.
Currently there are two Coptic Orthodox Churches in Wales.
The first Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales was consecrated in 1992 by HH Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria in the town of Risca, South Wales, as a church of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. The official name of the church is St Mary's and St Abu Saifain's Coptic Orthodox Church.
The Church building was a Former Wesleyan Methodist church. Founded in 1837, it was rebuilt on same site on 1852 and dedicated to St John. Architect not known, the church was designed to seat 600.
The parish was later known as Trinity Methodist Church.
The church is a listed historic building (Grade II) for its well preserved architectural interest, its unusual slender arcades and especially for its fine decorative frontage.
The interior was partly converted to Coptic Orthodox liturgical use. Unusual aisled roof structure, wooden trusses rising from posts set on the very tall slender marbled columns with Corinthian derived capitals, which also support the high round arches of a wooden arcade; painted boarded ceiling. Wide moulded reredos
arch and gallery. Rear raked gallery with curved and panelled front; pews on both floors retained. Vestibule has glazed panels to partition and swing doors with quarry glazing incorporating Art Nouveau
motifs.
The current Priest
is Father Philopater Wahba
This Church is under the direct supervision of HH Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria
and he is the head of the Church's council.
The second Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales
was bought by the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands in 2005 under the supervision of H.G. Bishop Missael
as Coptic Orthodox services began there later that year.
At first the Church did not have its own Priest
, therefore the mass was held there on Saturdays by a visiting priest, Father Bishoy, from the Coptic Orthodox Church in Manchester
. However, nowadays, the Church has its own priest, Fr. John Saleeb.
Address: 25 Trinity Avenue, Llandudno
, North Wales
.
The church was consecrated by Pope Shenouda III during a visit to the UK on Saturday 29 March 2008.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The first is in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
and the other in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
.
Missionary work of the Church of Alexandria (3rd and 4th centuries)
It is known in the ecclesiastical historyEcclesiastical History
Ecclesiastical History or ecclesiastical history may refer to:*Ecclesiastical history *Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum by Bede*Church History , pioneer work on the Christian Church by Eusebius of Caesarea...
of the Church of Alexandria
Church of Alexandria
The Church of Alexandria in Egypt is the particular church headed by the Patriarch of Alexandria. It is one of the original four Apostolic Sees of Christianity, with Rome, Antioch and Jerusalem ....
that the Church had sent missionaries in the 3rd or 4th century to the Celtic lands
Celtic nations
The Celtic nations are territories in North-West Europe in which that area's own Celtic languages and some cultural traits have survived.The term "nation" is used in its original sense to mean a people who share a common traditional identity and culture and are identified with a traditional...
, especially monastics.
It is also known within the Celtic tradition, especially in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, that the foundation of the monastic system
Monasticism
Monasticism is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work...
among the Celts was either based in portion on or inspired by the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian monastic
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
system and there are many traces of Alexandrine
Alexandrine
An alexandrine is a line of poetic meter comprising 12 syllables. Alexandrines are common in the German literature of the Baroque period and in French poetry of the early modern and modern periods. Drama in English often used alexandrines before Marlowe and Shakespeare, by whom it was supplanted...
theology embedded in Celtic theology
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity or Insular Christianity refers broadly to certain features of Christianity that were common, or held to be common, across the Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages...
. And so, the return of the Church of Alexandria
Church of Alexandria
The Church of Alexandria in Egypt is the particular church headed by the Patriarch of Alexandria. It is one of the original four Apostolic Sees of Christianity, with Rome, Antioch and Jerusalem ....
to these lands is of certain importance.
Modern presence
Although the Coptic Orthodox congregation has been present in Wales since the 1960s, the first Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales was consecrated in 1992 by HH Pope Shenouda III of AlexandriaPope Shenouda III of Alexandria
Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria is the 117th Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria...
in the town of Risca
Risca
Risca is a town of approximately 11,500 people in South Wales, within the Caerphilly County Borough and the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is today part of the Newport conurbation , though it is not a Ward of Newport City Council...
, South Wales.
Currently there are two Coptic Orthodox Churches in Wales.
St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church
The Church building was a Former Wesleyan Methodist church. Founded in 1837, it was rebuilt on same site on 1852 and dedicated to St John. Architect not known, the church was designed to seat 600.
The parish was later known as Trinity Methodist Church.
The church is a listed historic building (Grade II) for its well preserved architectural interest, its unusual slender arcades and especially for its fine decorative frontage.
The interior was partly converted to Coptic Orthodox liturgical use. Unusual aisled roof structure, wooden trusses rising from posts set on the very tall slender marbled columns with Corinthian derived capitals, which also support the high round arches of a wooden arcade; painted boarded ceiling. Wide moulded reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
arch and gallery. Rear raked gallery with curved and panelled front; pews on both floors retained. Vestibule has glazed panels to partition and swing doors with quarry glazing incorporating Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
motifs.
The current Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
is Father Philopater Wahba
This Church is under the direct supervision of HH Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and he is the head of the Church's council.
Saint Mary and Saint Abasikhyron Coptic Orthodox Church
The second Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
was bought by the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands in 2005 under the supervision of H.G. Bishop Missael
Bishop Missael
Bishop Missael is a diocesan bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria consecrated by Pope Shenouda III on 26 May 1991 to oversee the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands and Affiliated Areas U.K....
as Coptic Orthodox services began there later that year.
At first the Church did not have its own Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, therefore the mass was held there on Saturdays by a visiting priest, Father Bishoy, from the Coptic Orthodox Church in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. However, nowadays, the Church has its own priest, Fr. John Saleeb.
Address: 25 Trinity Avenue, Llandudno
Llandudno
Llandudno is a seaside resort and town in Conwy County Borough, Wales. In the 2001 UK census it had a population of 20,090 including that of Penrhyn Bay and Penrhynside, which are within the Llandudno Community...
, North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
.
The church was consecrated by Pope Shenouda III during a visit to the UK on Saturday 29 March 2008.
See also
- Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
- Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands and Affiliated Areas U.K.Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands and Affiliated Areas U.K.The Coptic Orthdox Diocese of the Midlands and Affiliated Areas U.K. is under the care of His Grace Bishop Missael.-Background and Foundation:...
- St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox ChurchSt Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox ChurchSt Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church is the first Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales, at St Mary Street in Risca, Newport, Wales.It was consecrated in 1992 by H. H. Pope Shenouda III in the town of Risca, South Wales, under the official name of St Mary’s and St Abu Saifain’s Coptic Orthodox...
- CoptCoptThe Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
s - Patriarch of AlexandriaPatriarch of AlexandriaThe Patriarch of Alexandria is the Archbishop of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation of Pope , and did so earlier than that of the Bishop of Rome...
- Coptic Orthodox Church in the United KingdomCoptic Orthodox Church in the United KingdomThe Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has many churches in the United Kingdom and Ireland, under the jurisdiction of one metropolitan and four bishops. The first Coptic Orthodox Church to be established in the United Kingdom was St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church, Kensington, London...
- The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox ChurchThe Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox ChurchThe Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the highest authority in the Church of Alexandria and it formulates the rules and regulations regarding matters of church's organisation, faith, service's order....
- Oriental OrthodoxyOriental OrthodoxyOriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon...
- EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...