About Us.
Find out more about our Coptic Orthodox Church below.
What is Coptic Orthodoxy?
The Coptic Orthodox Church was established in 55 AD in Egypt by St. Mark the Evangelist, Apostle, and author of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament. The word Coptic is a derivative of the Greek word “Aígyptos” (Αίγυπτος, literally Egypt), which became “Gypt”, and ultimately Copt. It is the ethnicity of first century native Egyptians and is now almost exclusively associated with the Christian Egyptian community. The current Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church is His Holiness Pope Tawadros II.
The term Orthodox refers to the method employed by the Church in teaching and worshiping. The beliefs of the Coptic Orthodox Church are based on the Holy Bible. The traditions passed on throughout the generations have been preserved and adhered to, according to the teachings of St Mark, with the sole intention of enriching the personal relationship of the congregation with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Coptic Orthodoxy teaches the Holy Trinity is one God, that God the Father begot Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word to redeem mankind, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father to teach, guide and comfort, as Christ promised His disciples. This faith is recited in the Nicene – Constantinopolitan Creed.
Who is St. Athanasius?
St. Athanasius of Alexandria was the twentieth patriarch of the See of St. Mark, who is still revered by many Christians today for defending the Christian faith against an infectious heresy of his time. He inspired millions, not only through his forty-five year ministry, but also through his apostolic works that continue to be theological references today.
Biography
This apostolic saint was most likely born in Alexandria between 295 and 298 AD, and he most likely received his education at the Catechetical School of Alexandria.
The most notable achievement of St. Athanasius is his defense of the correct faith in the Council of Nicaea (325 AD), which he attended as the secretary to patriarch Alexander I of Alexandria. He refuted the presbyter Arius, who attacked the co-equality and co-eternity of the Son with the Father. St. Athanasius defended the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son using the famous term “Homo-ousion.” Therefore, he explained persuasively that the Son is “consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things came into being” (The Nicene Creed). Unfortunately, the Council of Nicaea did not terminate the Arian controversy. Hence, St. Athanasius worked faithfully for the rest of his ministry, in order to drive the heresy out of the Byzantine Empire.
St. Athanasius became the successor of Pope Alexander I in 328 AD. The saint departed in 373 AD, and his commemoration occurs on the 20th of the Coptic month of Tut according to the Coptic Orthodox Synaxarium.
Meet our Clergy.
Rev. Fr. Antonious Guirguis
Ordained to the priesthood in 2003, Fr. Antonious began his faithful ministry at St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church in 2004. Fr. Antonious graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery and Masters of Paediatrics in Egypt, followed by a Graduate Diploma in Theology from St. Athanasius College (SAC, University of Divinity). He was promoted to Hegumen on 10th September 2017 by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II.
Fr. Tadawos Abdelmalak
Born and raised in the Minia province, Egypt, Fr. Tadawos first began his service as a Sunday School servant at St. George’s Church in Deirmawas, Egypt. He attained a Bachelor of Psychology and Sociology from South Valley University, Sohag in 2004.
Ordained to the priesthood in 2006, Fr. Tadawos began his ministry where he first served at St. George’s Church in Deirmawas. He has continued his faithful service at St. Athanasius since his arrival in 2011 until present.
Fr. Gregorios Awad
Fr. Gregorios attained a PhD from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece in Dogmatic Theology, and a PhD. from Martin-Luther-University, Germany in Christian Oriental Studies. He currently lectures multiple courses at St. Athanasius College (SAC, University of Divinity).
Ordained to the priesthood in 2015, Fr. Gregorios has continued his service and ministry at St. Athanasius Church alongside his academic endeavours.