Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England

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Diocese of New York and New England
File:Logo - Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England.png
Location
CountryUnited States
TerritoryConnecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
Statistics
Population
- Total		(as of 2015)
22,935,940
Parishes33
Information
DenominationCoptic Orthodox
RiteOriental Orthodox
Established16 November 2013
CathedralSaint Mina and Pope Kyrillos VI Cathedral, Chestnut Ridge, New York
Secular priests50
Current leadership
PopePope Tawadros II
BishopBishop David
Website
www.nynecopts.org

The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England, also referred to as the Coptic Diocese of New York, is a diocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It was founded in 2013 and encompasses the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont in the United States of America. The diocese's first and current bishop is His Grace Bishop David.

History

The first Copts from Egypt immigrated to the United States in the 1940s. By the 1970s, many had settled in New York and New England, and their numbers continued to grow as the years went on.[1] For many years, the few Coptic churches there were administered by the Archdiocese of North America (which is under the auspices of the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church). Bishop David, the current bishop of the diocese, had formerly served only as a general bishop in New England under the aforementioned archdiocese for several years, formally under Pope Shenouda III.

By the 2010s, the Coptic population had grown sufficiently large to support an independent diocese. Pope Tawadros II created the Diocese of New York and New England out of the geographic areas written in the name of the diocese; its territory was taken from the Archdiocese of North America.[1] Pope Tawadros consecrated the diocese' first bishop, David, as diocesan bishop in a two-day ceremony from November 16–17, 2013, in Cairo, Egypt.[1] An official enthronement ceremony for Bishop David took place on 7 December 2013 at St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church in Woodbury, New York.[1] As a diocesan bishop, Bishop David has the authority to ordain priests for the diocese's churches, in accordance with the needs and capabilities of the respective church congregations.

The current Seat of the bishopric is located at the Saint Mina and Pope Kyrillos VI Cathedral in Chestnut Ridge, New York.

Scandals

Sexual abuse scandal

In July 2020, priest Yousef Aziz Khalil was accused of exposed and later defrocked.[2] Khalil served in several churches and was reported throughout the years to have assaulted several girls and women in the diocese during the sacrament of confession. Khalil was moved to another diocese following the discovery.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

Khalil served in several churches and was several times reported to the church community, but nothing was done to bring him to justice. In a leaked church investigation it was revealed that priests and doctors from the community and council members kept quiet in order not to bring the name of the church into disrepute.[3]

According to a leaked internal church document, a church priest reported that when Bishop David met with a victim and talked about her experience, the bishop mocked and minimized her experience and completely disregarded the accusation.[3]

Response to allegations of sexual abuse

In response to the allegations, on July 22, 2020, the diocese announced that it would be working on a plan to stop sexual abuse. Further, they stated " If anyone is aware of any suspected incident of sexual abuse of a minor by any such person, we urge you to immediately report to law enforcement and also to your Regional Vicar..." They further stated that they will put in all efforts to curb such conduct.[9]

Further incidents of abuse

Priest Antonios Baky, the Papal Secretary of the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of Northern California and the Western U.S. (ANCW), who was assigned to St. Mary and St. John Coptic Orthodox Church in Pleasanton, CA was put on administrative leave on October 20, 2020, following accusations of misconducts on the Archdiocese's Sexual Misconduct and Physical Abuse and Neglect Policy.[10]

Demographics

Year Membership Priests Parishes
Hegumen Presbyters Total
2013 - - - - -
2014 - - - - -
2015 - 19 31 50[11] 26
2021 18 23 41[11] 33

Current parishes

Parishes

Connecticut

  • Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Hamden[12]
  • The Holy Theotokos and Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church, Cheshire[13]
  • St. Peter and St. Andrew Coptic Orthodox Church, Stamford[14]
  • St. Mary and St. Moses the Strong Coptic Orthodox Church, Waterford

Maine

Massachusetts

  • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Natick[15]
  • St. Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Scituate[16]
  • St. Paul and St. John Chrysostom Coptic Orthodox Church, Boston[17]
  • The Holy Family Coptic Orthodox Church, Attleboro[18]
  • St. Philopateer and St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, Wayland[19]
  • St. Mary and St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church, Fall River
  • St. Mary and St. Tomas Coptic Orthodox Church, Gardner
  • St. Shenouda and St. Karas Coptic Orthodox Church, Linwood[20]
  • Holy Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard (El-Karma), Charlton

New Hampshire

  • St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Nashua[21]

New York

Rhode Island

  • St. Mary and St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, Hope[33]
  • St. Mary and St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, Cranston[33]

Vermont

  • St. Mary and Archangel Raphael Coptic Orthodox Church, Burlington

Communities and missions

Coptic Orthodox communities and missions are congregations of Copts who gather for religious services but do not have a sufficient number of people to support a full parish.

Connecticut

New York

  • St. Peter and St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Mission, Rochester

Monastery

The diocese had previously announced plans to formally establish a monastery in the Boston region, under the name of Virgin Mary & Pope Kyrillos VI in Charlton, Massachusetts. This would be the first monastery to be established in the diocese, and the third in North America. It would also be the first monastery in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church to be named after Saint Pope Kyrillos VI. As of September 2022, plans for this monastery are currently set for it to be established in Dover Plains, New York, under the same name.[34]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "The Diocese | Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England". www.nynecopts.org. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  2. ^ "Coptic Survivor". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  3. ^ a b c "Egyptian Coptic Priest Defrocked Following Allegations of Sexual Abuse, Paedophilia". Egyptian Streets. 2020-07-19. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  4. ^ "Coptic Church strips alleged paedophile priest of clerical status". The National. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  5. ^ "Coptic Pope Defrocks US-linked Priest Accused Of Paedophilia". barrons.com. Agence France Presse. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  6. ^ "Coptic Pope Defrocks US-Linked Priest Accused of Paedophilia". Voxafrica. 2020-07-18. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  7. ^ "Coptic pope defrocks US-linked priest accused of paedophilia". Arab News. 2020-07-18. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  8. ^ "Coptic Pope Defrocks US-Linked Priest Accused Of Paedophilia". Channels Television. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  9. ^ "Joint Statement on Sexual Misconduct". Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England. 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  10. ^ "Coptic Archdiocese of North America". copticarch.org. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  11. ^ a b "Our Clergy | Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England". www.nynecopts.org. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  12. ^ "Home". Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  13. ^ "HTSA Coptic App". htsacopticmobile.azurewebsites.net. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  14. ^ "St. Peter & St. Andrew Coptic Orthodox Church". www.spsa.church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  15. ^ "Home". St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church - Natick, MA. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  16. ^ "St.Mary & St.George Coptic Orthodox Church". saintmaryandsaintgeorge.org. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  17. ^ "Welcome to St Paul & St John Chrysostom Coptic Orthodox Church of Boston". St Paul & St John Chrysostom Coptic Orthodox Church of Boston. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  18. ^ "Home". The Holy Family Coptic Orthodox Church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  19. ^ "Home". Saint Philopater Mecurius & Saint Mina. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  20. ^ "Saint Shenouda and Saint Karas Coptic Orthodox Church". stshenoudastkaras.com. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  21. ^ "Home". St Mary And Archangel Michael. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  22. ^ "Home". michaelmenasi.org. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  23. ^ "St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church". Archived from the original on 2019-05-27.
  24. ^ "Home". www.stgeorgeastoria.church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  25. ^ "Saint George Coptic Orthodox Church". Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  26. ^ "St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church Rochester". www.stmarksofrochester.com. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  27. ^ "St. Mary & St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church". Archived from the original on 2000-10-17.
  28. ^ "Virgin Mary & Saint Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church of White Plains, NY". Virgin Mary & Saint Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church of White Plains, NY. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  29. ^ "St. Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church of Albany, NY - Home". www.stmarystgeorge.org. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  30. ^ "St Mary & St Mina Syracuse". www.stmarystminacopticchurch.org. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  31. ^ "St.Mary & St.Moses". St.Mary & St.Moses. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  32. ^ "Virgin Mary & St. Pachomius Coptic Orthodox Church". Virgin Mary & St. Pachomius Coptic Orthodox Church. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  33. ^ a b "« St. Mary and St. Mena". Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  34. ^ "St. Mary & Pope Kyrillos Monastery - Diocese of New York & New England". Retrieved 2022-09-21.

Coordinates: 40°35′59″N 74°06′51″W / 40.59968°N 74.11426°W / 40.59968; -74.11426

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