Coptic Orthodox Church in Christchurch, New Zealand

History

Our Coptic Orthodox church is distinguished for being the most ancient church in the world. It was established in Alexandria, Egypt by Saint Mark in the year 61 AD. Additionally, our church is notable for being the only church to maintain its beliefs and liturgical practice without alteration as delivered to the apostles from Christ.

Our church has a great number of martyrs and established the life of monasticism through saint Antony the great.

Saint Mark is the first patriarch and currently lead by his successor, Pope Tawadros Il, patriarch number 118 the lord keeps him for the church for many years. The history of the Coptic church begins with the visit of our Lord Jesus Christ to Egypt when he was 2 years old.

We ask the Lord to bless our Coptic orthodox church to be a spiritual fortress for everyone.

Etymology

The term ‘Coptic’ comes from a Greek word meaning Egyptian. The contemporary Coptic Orthodox Church is a Christian church based in Egypt It is part of a group of Orthodox churches which also include the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches. Immigrants and refugees from the Middle East and North Africa introduced the Coptic Church to New Zealand. In 1999 Bishop Suriel was appointed the first Coptic bishop for Australia and New Zealand, based in Melbourne. In the 2010s there was a Coptic church in each of New Zealand. St Mary and St Athanasius Coptic church in Christchurch was badly damaged in the September 2010 earthquake. but now we are starting to build a new church

Plan Your Visit

When you come to visit Saint Mary and Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church, you’ll find a warm, welcoming community. Our doors are always open to those who are looking for a spiritual home, those that have questions about Christianity or the Orthodox faith, those who just need a supportive community to belong to, or anyone else that wants to attend with us. Our doors are open!

FAQ

How long are the services?

On Sunday mornings, the Divine Liturgy is approximately 2 1/2 hours in length. The Sunday Service starts at 8:30 am. Afterwards there is Sunday school for all ages up to early 20s.

We know that when you have participated in an Orthodox service you will feel like you have truly worshiped the living God. While following the texts and meditating on the words of the prayers and the story of Salvation in (English, Arabic, and Coptic languages), time passes quickly.

Is there a dress code?

The general rule for men and women is to dress appropriately, modestly, and respectfully.

Is child care provided?

All children are welcome and encouraged to attend our services. Each parent is responsible to take care of their child. Though the children might not grasp the depth of the service, their seeing the icons, smelling of incense, hearing the chants and hymns, etc. is an important part of the child’s spiritual formation.

Is Sunday school for children available?

On Sundays, we provide Sunday school in small groups for children, from the age of 0ne through to 17 immediately following the service. In addition, there is a Bible Study in the hall of the church.

Orthodox priests may only serve the Holy Communion to baptized members in good standing of the canonical Orthodox Church, who regularly confess, and who participate in the Church fasts, especially before partaking of the Holy Communion.

These traditions are ancient and have been part of the Holy Church for the 2,000 years of Her history. The Orthodox Church understands the Holy Communion as a mystery of the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Communion, not simply as a memorial, or merely in a spiritual sense, as many other non-Orthodox Christians do. Rather than trying to accommodate to often varying “interpretations” or revisions of this and other doctrines of the ancient faith, we simply ask that you respect the ancient, apostolic tradition and join us in receiving the communion, at the end of the Divine Liturgy.

What are Orthodox worship hymns like?

Between 65–75% of the traditional Coptic Liturgy involves congregational singing. Coptic Christians do not use musical instruments with the exception of the cymbals and triangle, which are used simply to keep musical time. the deacons lead the congregation in harmonious chant, usually in Coptic or English. Our hymns are solemn, prayerful, and intended to lead the faithful to worship the living God.

New visitors will find there are many new things to experience in a Coptic Orthodox Church service. Feel free to go at your own pace, ask any questions you want, and know you are most welcome to “come and see.”

God bless you!

Sham El-Nessim Divine Liturgy