St. George Coptic Orthodox Church (Brooklyn)
Encyclopedia
St George Coptic Orthodox Church (Coptic
: // transliteration
: ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos ente fi.ethowab Gewargios) is one of the oldest Coptic Orthodox churches in North America
. It is one of over 200 Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States.
, New York was founded as the second Coptic parish in New York City
, and was incorporated by 1973 with only 60 families at the time. The first one was actually St. Mary & St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church in Ridgewood, Queens
, and, like St. George Church, there were many others to follow. Somewhat farther east, in Long Island
, St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church
was founded by the late 70's to serve the congregation in that region. It should be noted, however, that one of the more prominent parishes that was recently founded is St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, the first Coptic church that was established in densely populated borough of Manhattan
.
Although St. George Church was officially established as of 1973, the first liturgy was actually celebrated on December 31, 1972, after the current building was bought from the American Baptist Church.
elevated Fr. Mina to the rank of Archpriest
on August 16, 1978. Two other priests were eventually ordained and serve St. George Church alongside Fr. Mina. Fr. Armia Taofiles, who has served since Nov. 2000, as well as Fr. Luke Awad, who became priest as of 2005 have been pastors at St. George Church up until the present.
The building at the eastern corner of 11th Avenue and 67th Street in Dyker Heights
, being one of the few structures in North America that was bought by the Copt
s from the beginning of the congregation's establishment, was expanded and redeveloped multiple times:
, launched in 1977, as well as the first Agpeya
that was translated into English (using the original Coptic texts
). Several of Pope Shenouda's books, lectures, and sermons were republished by the church and sent to various places.
On March 20, 1994 the Virgin Mary
was said to have blessed St. George Church by seeping holy oil from one of her icon
s. A special place was constructed for this icon in the church building, which is visited by many Copts and Americans as well.
eventually consecrated the church on Sunday, September 6, 1998.
There are currently over 600 Coptic families served by St. George's Church alone with several others belonging to other Coptic Orthodox congregations throughout New York.
Coptic language
Coptic or Coptic Egyptian is the current stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the 1st century...
: // transliteration
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
: ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos ente fi.ethowab Gewargios) is one of the oldest Coptic Orthodox churches in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It is one of over 200 Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States.
History
St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York was founded as the second Coptic parish in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and was incorporated by 1973 with only 60 families at the time. The first one was actually St. Mary & St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church in Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It borders the neighborhoods of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale, as well as the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick. Historically, the neighborhood straddled the Queens-Brooklyn boundary. The neighborhood is part of Queens...
, and, like St. George Church, there were many others to follow. Somewhat farther east, in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church
St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church (Woodbury, New York)
St Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church is a Coptic Orthodox parish in Woodbury, New York. It is one of over 200 Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States....
was founded by the late 70's to serve the congregation in that region. It should be noted, however, that one of the more prominent parishes that was recently founded is St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, the first Coptic church that was established in densely populated borough of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Although St. George Church was officially established as of 1973, the first liturgy was actually celebrated on December 31, 1972, after the current building was bought from the American Baptist Church.
Priests
Fr. Mina K. Yanni served as priest for St. George Church from its early foundations until the present. HH Pope Shenouda IIIPope 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...
elevated Fr. Mina to the rank of Archpriest
Archpriest
An archpriest is a priest with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches, although it may be used in the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church instead of dean or vicar forane.In the 16th and 17th centuries, during...
on August 16, 1978. Two other priests were eventually ordained and serve St. George Church alongside Fr. Mina. Fr. Armia Taofiles, who has served since Nov. 2000, as well as Fr. Luke Awad, who became priest as of 2005 have been pastors at St. George Church up until the present.
Expansion
Even as St. George Church mainly served those who settled in Brooklyn, other areas were outreached over the years. Surrounding areas in New York's other boroughs as well as some parts of New Jersey were outreached until churches were built there.The building at the eastern corner of 11th Avenue and 67th Street in Dyker Heights
Dyker Heights, Brooklyn
Dyker Heights is a residential neighborhood in the southwest corner of the Borough of Brooklyn in New York City, USA. It is sandwiched among Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, and Gravesend Bay. According to the Post Office, Dyker Heights is bounded to the west by Interstate 278, to the north by Bay Ridge...
, being one of the few structures in North America that was bought by the Copt
Copt
The Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
s from the beginning of the congregation's establishment, was expanded and redeveloped multiple times:
- The first expansion occurred in 1984, when a new church was built bearing the name of Saint Mina the Miracle WorkerSaint MenasSaint Menas , the Martyr and Wonder-worker, is one of the most well-known Egyptian saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are attributed to his intercession and prayers...
. It was established with a seating capacitySeating capacitySeating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of about 40 people. - The second expansion occurred in 1986 to increase the seating capacitySeating capacitySeating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of St. George Church from 180 to 250. - The third expansion started out in 1996, when new Sunday School classes were built in the traditional Coptic styleCoptic architectureCoptic architecture is the architecture of the Copts, who form the majority of Christians in Egypt.Coptic churches range from great cathedrals like Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral to the smallest churches in rural villages. Many ancient monasteries like Monastery of Saint Anthony, the oldest...
. This expansion was much larger than the first one and took longer to finish. - The project was completed by 1998 to further increase the capacity for 500 people and also to make some other additions.
Publications
St. George Church published many of the first Coptic Orthodox publications in North America. These publications include the Coptic CalendarCoptic calendar
The Coptic calendar, also called the Alexandrian calendar, is used by the Coptic Orthodox Church and still used in Egypt. This calendar is based on the ancient Egyptian calendar...
, launched in 1977, as well as the first Agpeya
Agpeya
The Coptic cycle of canonical hours is largely monastic, primarily composed of psalm readings. The Coptic equivalent of the Byzantine Horologion is the Agpeya....
that was translated into English (using the original Coptic texts
Coptic language
Coptic or Coptic Egyptian is the current stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the 1st century...
). Several of Pope Shenouda's books, lectures, and sermons were republished by the church and sent to various places.
On March 20, 1994 the Virgin Mary
Theotokos
Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
was said to have blessed St. George Church by seeping holy oil from one of her icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
s. A special place was constructed for this icon in the church building, which is visited by many Copts and Americans as well.
Today
Pope Shenouda III visited the congregation three times before its consecration on April 14, 1977, second on April 20, 1989 and on March 12, 1992. Pope ShenoudaPope 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...
eventually consecrated the church on Sunday, September 6, 1998.
There are currently over 600 Coptic families served by St. George's Church alone with several others belonging to other Coptic Orthodox congregations throughout New York.
External links
- The official website of St. George Coptic Orthodox Church
- The Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America
- Directory & Statistics on Coptic Orthodox Churches in North America
See also
- Coptic Orthodox Church
- Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of AlexandriaSeat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of AlexandriaThe Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria is historically based in Alexandria, Egypt. It is commonly known as the Holy See of St. Mark, as the Coptic Pope is the successor of St. Mark....
- Coptic architectureCoptic architectureCoptic architecture is the architecture of the Copts, who form the majority of Christians in Egypt.Coptic churches range from great cathedrals like Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral to the smallest churches in rural villages. Many ancient monasteries like Monastery of Saint Anthony, the oldest...
- Coptic CairoCoptic CairoCoptic Cairo is a part of Old Cairo which encompasses the Babylon Fortress, the Coptic Museum, the Hanging Church, the Greek Church of St. George and many other Coptic churches and historical sites. It is believed that the Holy Family visited this area and stayed at the site of Saints Sergius and...
- Coptic Orthodox Church in North AmericaCoptic Orthodox Church in North AmericaThe 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...
- Coptic Orthodox Church in CanadaCoptic Orthodox Church in CanadaThe immigration of the Copts to Canada might have started as early as the late 1950s. Starting in the 1970s, Canada has been receiving a greater number of these immigrants, and the number of Coptic immigrants into Canada has been growing ever since. According to the census, there were over 10,000...
- Coptic Orthodox Church in the United StatesCoptic Orthodox Church in the United StatesThe immigration of the Copts to the United States of America started as early as 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 is St...
- List of Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States
- St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church (Woodbury, New York)St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church (Woodbury, New York)St Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church is a Coptic Orthodox parish in Woodbury, New York. It is one of over 200 Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States....
- St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church (Jersey City, New Jersey)St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church (Jersey City, New Jersey)St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church is notably the first Coptic Orthodox church in the United States, located at Jersey City, New Jersey. It is one of over 200 Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States.-History:St...
- St. Mary & St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church (Ridgewood, Queens)
- St. George & St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church (Jersey City, New Jersey)St. George & St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church (Jersey City, New Jersey)St George & St Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church is the second Coptic Orthodox church that was established in Jersey City, New Jersey...
- St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church (Woodbury, New York)
- Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada