Please provide details of tomorrow's celebration of the first church built for St. Mary and why we celebrate it.

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

Tomorrow, the 21st day of the Coptic month of Paoni (June 28), the Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates the Commemoration of the Consecration of the First Church Dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the city of Philippi.

This feast is distinct from the monthly commemoration of the Theotokos (the 21st of every Coptic month) because it specifically marks the establishment of the first sanctuary named after her.

The History of the Feast

According to Coptic Tradition and the Synaxarion, after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles traveled the world to preach the Gospel. The Apostles Paul and Silas preached in Philippi (Acts 16).

The tradition holds that a church was built there and dedicated to the Mother of God, the Theotokos. During the consecration of this church, a great miracle occurred: the Lord signaled His blessing upon the sanctuary, and the name of the Virgin Mary was magnified among the believers.

This event occurred while the Virgin Mary was still living in the flesh (historically placed after the Ascension but before her Departure/Assumption).

Why We Celebrate

We celebrate this feast for several theological and historical reasons:

1. Honor to the Theotokos: As Coptic Orthodox Christians, we honor the Virgin Mary above all created beings. Building a church in her name was a fulfillment of her own prophecy: "For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48).
2. The Shift from Jewish Temple to Christian Altar: This consecration marks the transition from the old covenant worship to the new covenant, where sanctuaries are dedicated to the saints and centered around the Holy Eucharist.
3. Divine Approval: We celebrate the fact that God confirms the honor of His mother through signs and wonders. The Coptic Synaxarion records that the Apostles were gathered, and by the Hand of the Lord, the church was consecrated, signifying that the intercessions of the Virgin Mary are a pillar of the Church's life.
4. Ecclesiastical Foundation: This feast reminds us of the early Church's rapid growth and the importance of having dedicated sacred spaces for the gathering of the faithful and the administration of the Mysteries (Sacraments).

In the Doxologies and hymns for this day, we refer to her as the "True Tabernacle" and the "Golden Censer," celebrating that the one who carried the "Fire of the Divinity" in her womb is now the patroness of our houses of prayer.

:::.**

(Pray to the Lord on our behalf, O our Lady, the Lady of us all, the Theotokos, Mary the Mother of our Savior, that He may forgive us our sins.)