Saint Mary and Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria held a religious and ceremonial inaugural celebration Saturday, Aug. 1, of its move into its new home at 211 Route 206 in Hillsborough.
The church located June 5 into a church facility formerly the home of the Christian Community Chapel, which bought other property in Hillsborough Township.
Celebrations were led by His Grace Bishop Karas, Patriarchal Exarch at the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, on behalf of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the Holy See of Saint Mark.
About 100 families are members. The church had been renting a hall at St. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Brooks Boulevard on the Manville border, according to Andrew Daoud, a member of the Board of Directors.
Saint Mary & Saint Athanasius was established in 2006 in order to serve Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, and is served by both Father Antonious Tanious and Father John Rizkalla.
The church follows the Coptic Orthodox Tradition, which was established by Saint Mark, the gospel writer, when he brought the Christian faith to Alexandria, Egypt, and established the church there around the middle of the first century. Saint Mark was also the first bishop (not called “popes“ at the time) over the Church of Alexandria. The ancient Church of Alexandria is one of the five centers of ancient Christianity, along with Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople and Rome.
