St. Mark the Apostle,
founder of the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Coptic Church or the Church of Alexandria is called “See of St. Mark”; one of the earliest four sees: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome.
The Copts are proud of the apostolicity of their Church, whose founder is St. Mark; one of the seventy Apostles (Mk 10:10), and one of the four Evangelists. He is regarded by the Coptic hierarchy as the first of their unbroken 117 patriarchs, and also the first of a stream of Egyptian martyrs.
This apostolicity was not only furnished on grounds of its foundation but rather by the persistence of the Church in observing the same faith received by the Apostle and his successors, the Holy Fathers.
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the largest Christian Church in Egypt and Northeast Africa.
The Coptic Orthodox Church belongs to the Oriental Orthodox family of Churches, which has been a distinct Christian body since the schism following the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, when it took a different position over Christology from that of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The precise Christological differences that caused the split with the Coptic Christians are still disputed, highly technical, and mainly concerned with the nature of Christ. The foundational roots of the Coptic Church are based in Egypt, but it has a worldwide following.
Our History
Our parish was established by just a few, deeply committed immigrant families in 1979. Since then, it has grown exponentially to just over 600 families who congregate from all over Southeast Michigan. We are the largest parish in the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, which was organized under the auspices of His Grace Bishop Saraphim in 2017.
It is our belief that the Ancient Christian Faith remains pertinent in our modern world, and we strive to make this a reality in our community. We welcome you to visit our parish and begin to learn about the depth of Orthodox Christianity.
Our Mission
The Mission of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church is to welcome all to experience the transformative love of Christ through Orthodox Christian worship, education, and service.
