Is Father Anthony Messeh setting up multiple churches, with himself as the leader, and does Bishop Peter support this?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

Regarding the activities of Father Anthony Messeh and the "STSA" (St. Timothy and St. Athanasius) community, it is important to understand the hierarchy and the current state of oversight in that region.

As previously mentioned, the Washington D.C. area and its surrounding regions fall under the Archdiocese of North America, which is under the direct jurisdiction of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. To assist in the pastoral care of this Archdiocese, the Pope has appointed His Grace Bishop Peter as the seated Bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky, while also tasking him with the oversight of specific churches in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area.

Regarding the "STSA" model and the establishment of multiple campuses or sites:

1. Ecclesiastical Order: In the Coptic Orthodox Church, no priest has the authority to "lead" or "set up" multiple churches independently of his bishop. A priest is an appointee of the Bishop or the Patriarch. Therefore, any expansion or naming of "STSA" campuses is done under the official umbrella of the Archdiocese. Father Anthony Messeh serves as a priest within this structure; he is not an independent leader or a "bishop" of these communities.
2. Support of Bishop Peter: His Grace Bishop Peter provides administrative and spiritual oversight for these churches on behalf of the Pope. Any development, whether it be the expansion of the "STSA" model or the establishment of new liturgical sites, must be done with the explicit blessing and authorization of the Bishop. The Church operates on the principle of "nothing without the bishop," a rule established by the early Church Fathers like St. Ignatius of Antioch.
3. The "STSA" Model: This specific model of "one church, multiple locations" is a contemporary approach to missionary work within the Coptic Church in North America. While it differs from the traditional "one parish, one building" setup common in Egypt, it is currently a recognized method of outreach within the Archdiocese. However, the "leader" of these churches is the Bishop (and ultimately the Pope), not the priest.

It is vital to maintain the Orthodox perspective that the Church is not built around the personality or vision of a single priest, but around the Altar and the Bishop, who represents the unity of the Church. Any attempt by a priest to act as a "leader" independent of the hierarchy would be a departure from Orthodox tradition and would constitute a form of Protestant-style congregationalism, which the Coptic Church rejects.

Currently, these locations operate with the knowledge and oversight of His Grace Bishop Peter as the representative of the Patriarchal jurisdiction.