St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church (Jersey City, New Jersey)

Infobox church
name = St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church
color =

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imagesize = 200px
caption =
landscape =
denomination = Coptic Orthodox Church
diocese = Archdiocese of North America, under the Pope of Alexandria
division = The Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
parish =
subdivision =
founded_date = 1970
founder =
architect =
style = Coptic
constructed_date = 1986
dedicated_date =
bishop = HH Pope Shenouda III
priest = Hegumen Fr. Abraam Sleman
Fr. Markos Ayoub
Fr. Daniel Abdelmaseih
archdeacon =
address = 427 West Side Ave Jersey City, New Jersey 08816
country = United States of America
phone = [phone]
website = http://www.saintmark.com/

St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church (Coptic: Coptic|Ϯⲉⲕ'ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⳿ⲛⲣⲉⲙ⳿ⲛⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⳿ⲛⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ ⳿ⲛⲧⲉ ⲫⲏⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ Ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲥ // transliteration: "ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos ente fi.ethowab Markos") 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. [" [http://copticchurch.net/news/press_release/20050120_armanious_murder_jersey_city.html Coptic Church Urges Thorough Investigation In Murder of Jersey City Family] ". "Coptic Church Network", January 20, 2005. Accessed August 11, 2008.] [ [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=6&IndexView=toc CNEWA:The Coptic Orthodox Church] (Retrieved 17-07-2008)]

History

St. Mark's Church was first founded from the late 60's, although the actual date of incorporation was 1970. [http://nacopts.com/viewChurch.php?id=132 Church] (Retrieved 17-07-2008)] The large influx of Copts in New Jersey can be attributed to their persecution in Egypt, in addition to those who emigrate seeking educational and financial opportunities. Currently, there are more than 30,000 Copts in Jersey City alone. [Elliott, Andrea. [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/21/nyregion/21rift.html?pagewanted=2 "A Bloody Crime in New Jersey Divides Egyptians"] , "The New York Times", January 21, 2005. Accessed August 5, 2008.]

Expansion

Coptic Orthodox Christians, who adhere to an ancient Christian faith rooted in Egypt in the first century, have established a stronghold throughout New Jersey over the last several decades. Being the first Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States, St. Mark’s in Jersey City was founded by early Egyptian immigrants, and the congregations have since grown in allowing 15 other parishes in New Jersey alone. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/17colnj.html NY Times:Where Church Pews Replaced the Bar Stools] (Retrieved 08-05-2008)]

The year 1977 marked the first pastoral visit by HH Pope Shenouda III to the US and Canada, including St. Mark's Church in Jersey City. [ [http://www.copticpope.org/downloads/eng_keraza/engkeraza15-09-2006.pdf Keraza Newspaper Dated 09-15-2006] (Retrieved 08-05-2008)] Ten years later, in January of 1987, the church building was newly refitted and consecrated.

Priests

St. Mark Church had several priests over the decades, including one who died in the early 90's. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEFDE1531F936A35751C1A965958260 NY Times] (Retrieved 08-02-2008)] The first liturgy was celebrated in St. Mark's Church on March 22, 1970 by the late Fr. Rafael Younan who was a resident priest in Montreal since 1968. [ [http://www.copts.com/english1/index.php/2008/07/07/the-history-of-the-early-coptic-community-in-the-usa-1955-1970-sami-i-boulos-nj2008/ Early History of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States] (Retrieved 11-08-2008)]

There are currently three priests that serve St. Mark's Church. Fr. Abraam Sleman was ordained as a priest on June 18th, 1989 by Pope Shenouda III to serve at St. Mary Church (Ard Elgolf). Then, on September 3rd, 1993, Pope Shenouda chose to have him serve St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Englewood, Colorado.

After Fr. Gabriel Abdelsayed, a priest in St. Mark's Church, died, Pope Shenouda decided to replace the deceased priest with Fr. Abraam Sleman on January 5, 1995.

Today

Fr. Abraam served St. Mark Church for several years up to this point. By the time Pope Shenouda recently elevated Fr. Abraam to the rank of Archpriest (Hegomen) on September 1, 2003, [" [http://copticchurch.net/news/ordination_heg_abraam.html Fr. Abraam Sleman to Hegumen] ". "Coptic Church Network", September 1, 2003. Accessed August 11, 2008.] Fr. Sleman was already serving alongside Fr. Markos Ayoub. On September 2, 2006, Pope Shenouda ordained Maged Abdelmaseih as Fr. Daniel Abdelmaseih, to be the third priest at St. Mark's Church. Thus, Heg. Abraam Sleman, Fr. Markos Ayoub, and Fr. Daniel Abdelmaseih have been pastors at St. Mark's Church up until the present.

There are currently about 750 Coptic families served by St. Mark's Church alone with several others belonging to different church congregations throughout northern New Jersey in particular.

References

External links

* [http://www.saintmark.com/ The official website of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church]
* [http://www.nacopts.org/ The Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America]
* [http://www.nacopts.com/ Directory & Statistics on Coptic Orthodox Churches in North America]

ee also

*Coptic Orthodox Church
*Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
*Church of Saint Menas (Cairo)
*Coptic architecture
*Coptic Cairo
*Coptic Orthodox Cathedral of St. Mark (Cairo)
*Coptic Orthodox Church in North America
*Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada
*Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States
*
*List of Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States
**St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church (Los Angeles)
**St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church (Denver, Colorado)
**St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
**St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church (Los Angeles)
**St. Mary & St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church (Ridgewood, Queens)
**St. George Coptic Orthodox Church (Brooklyn)
**St. George Coptic Orthodox Church (Philadelphia)
**St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church (Woodbury, New York)
**St. George & St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church (Jersey City, New Jersey)