What was the first Coptic Church in America?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
The first Coptic Orthodox church established in the United States was St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Jersey City, New Jersey.
The foundation of the Coptic presence in America began in the 1960s. After the immigration of Coptic families to North America, Pope Cyril VI and the late Anba Samuel, Bishop of Social and Public Affairs, planned the establishment of churches overseas to serve the diaspora.
In 1965, Fr. Ghubriyal Amin was sent to Jersey City to serve the burgeoning community, making it the first official Coptic congregation in the country. Following this, other pioneers were sent to establish the faith across the continent, including Fr. Rufa'il Yunan to Montreal in 1967 and Fr. Bishoy Kamel to Los Angeles in 1969.
From these humble beginnings, the Church has grown to include hundreds of parishes, dozens of bishops, and several monasteries across North America, preserving the true Orthodox faith and the rites of God in the new world.