Coptic Orthodox Church in Asia

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The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has many churches and congregations in the continent of Asia.

As Egypt is the only Afro-Asiatic country, all of the Coptic Orthodox Eparchies in the peninsula of Sinai are in Asia

Sinai

Two Eparchies, each led by a Bishop:

El Arish and All North Sinai

Kosman (Cosmas), Bishop of the Holy Diocese of El Arish (Rhinocorura), El Qantarah and all North Sinai.

El-Tor and all South Sinai

Apollo, Bishop of the Holy Diocese of El-Tor (Raithu), Sharm El Sheikh and all South Sinai.

Currently, there are at least five Coptic Orthodox churches in South Sinai.^[1]

Jerusalem

Abraham, Metropolitan of the Holy and Great City of Our Lord, Jerusalem, Holy Zion, Archbishop of the Holy Archdiocese of Jerusalem, All Palestine, Philadelphia of Jordan and all the Near East.

This Archdiocese has many churches in the Palestinian Authority, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen and, of course, Israel.

This great archdiocesan Metropolis is technically outside the Egyptian Province and was not originally counted within the jurisdiction of the Pope of Alexandria and it was created by Pope Cyril III (1235-1243) in the Thirteenth Century, which, at that time, had caused a dispute between the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch.^[2]. This was a very rare incident between the two sister churches as in general their relationship is one of the strongest between any two sister churches.^[3]

The Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan of Jerusalem is the only Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan who is consecrated as a Metropolitan Archbishop without being consecrated a bishop first and then elevated to the Metropolitan rank later, as is the norm in all episcopal consecration according to the tradition of the Church of Alexandria. This has been the case since Cyril III consecrated Metropolitan Basilius as the first Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan of Jerusalem and All the Near East.

Lebanon

The Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the 18 religious sects recognized by the Lebanese Constitution.

East Asia

This wide area comes under the Diocese of Sydney, New South Wales, Queesland, Northern Territory and All East Asia whose Hierarch is His Grace Daniel, Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Sydney, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and All East Asia. The following is a list of churches in East Asia in the Diocese, and also the priests that serve in each church:

Japan

St. George Coptic Orthodox Church of Japan; Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture in Japan

• • Parish Priest: Fr Thomas Kanazaki
  • Coptic Orthodox Japan Network

Thailand

• St. Mark & St. George; Bangkok
• St. James the Apostle Orphanage; Sangkhlaburi

Singapore

• St. Mark; Singapore

Hong Kong

• St. Thomas; Hong Kong

China

• St. Mary & Archangel Michael; Guangzhou

Malaysia

• St. Mary & St. Mark; Malacca
  • Fr Joseph Sim

South Korea

• St. Mary; Seoul

Pakistan

A Mission church in Isalambad started in 2006 under the Diocese of Melbourne, West & South Australia, New Zealand and All Oceania whose Heirarch is His Grace Suriel, Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Tasmania, ACT, South Australia, Western Australia, New Zealand and All Oceania. The following is a list of churches in Pakistan which are under the Diocese, and also the priests that serve in each church:

• St. Mark; Rawalpinidi
  • Fr Bishoy Sarfraz
• St. Mary; Islamabad
  • Fr Anthony David John

References

1. ^ Coptic Orthodox Diocese of South Sinai
2. ^ History of the Coptic Church, Iris Habib Elmasry
3. ^ History of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Abouna Menassa Elkomos Youhanna 1923

External links

• Websites of 250+ Coptic Churches around the world
• The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of South Sinai
• Article about the conflict between the Coptic and the Ethiopian Churches in Jerusalem

See also

• Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
• The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria
• Oriental Orthodoxy
• Christianity in Africa
• Coptic Orthodox Church in Africa
• Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia
• Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States
• Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada
• Coptic Orthodox Church in Europe
• Coptic Orthodox Church in South America