Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has many churches in the United Kingdom and Ireland, under the jurisdiction of three diocesan bishops and one general bishop, with the remaining parishes falling under the direct jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Alexandria.

The first liturgical service prayed in the United Kingdom took place in London on 10 August 1954, officiated by delegates attending the general assembly of the World Council of Churches. The foundation of the church and its establishment of a parish started with a liturgical service held in London in February 1969, prayed by the Bishop of Christian Education, Shenouda (later Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of the Church). Regular services only begun in 1971 when the first resident Coptic priest, Father Antuniyus al-Suryani (later Metropolitan Pakhomious of Beheira) celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Saint Andrew's Church, Holborn, London. In 1976, the church council purchased a building in Kensington, establishing the Coptic Orthodox parish of St. Mark; this was served by three monk priests who later on became members of the Holy Synod of the mother church in Egypt.Pope Shenouda III consecrated St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church in Kensington, London in 1979.

By 1981, other communities had been established throughout the United Kingdom with regular services officiated by visiting priests, including the late Fr. Bishoy Boshra and Fr. Antonious Thabet. In April 1985, St. Mary & St. Antony's Coptic Orthodox Church in Birmingham was consecrated by the first resident bishop sent to the United Kingdom, General bishop, Bishop Missael, making it the second church to be established in the country and the first outside London.

Following the establishment of St. Mary & St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Centre in Birmingham, Bishop Missael was consecrated on 26 May 1991 by Pope Shenouda III as the first bishop of the first Coptic Orthodox diocese in the United Kingdom, the Diocese of Birmingham, which became the Diocese of the Midlands. In 1995, Bishop Antony was consecrated with the formation of the Diocese of Ireland, Scotland, North East England and its Affiliated Regions. Fr. Angaelos Anba Bishoy (now Bishop Angaelos) of Archangel Michael & St. Anthony Coptic Centre in Stevenage was consecrated in 1999 as a general bishop and patriarchal exarch for the Youth Ministry at the Patriarchal Centre and the Coptic Orthodox Theological College.

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