The second Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales is in 25 Trinity Avenue, Llandudno, North Wales, it was bought in 2005. Saint Mary and Saint Abasikhiron Coptic Orthodox Church
The Church is regularly visited and supervised by His Grace Angaelos, the General Bishop. This Church is under the direct supervision of HH Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria and he is the head of the Church's council. Vestibule has glazed panels to partition and swing doors with quarry glazing incorporating Art Nouveau motifs.Ĭurrent Priest is Father Philopater Wahba Rear raked gallery with curved and panelled front pews on both floors retained. Unusual aisled roof structure, wooden trusses rising from posts set on the very tall slender marbled columns with Corinthian derived capitals, which also support the high round arches of a wooden arcade painted boarded ceiling. Interior partly converted to Coptic Orthodox liturgical use. The church is a listed historic building (Grade II) for its well preserved architectural interest, its unusual slender arcades and especially for its fine decorative frontage. Later was known as Trinity Methodist Church Founded 1837, rebuilt on same site 1852 and dedicated to St John.Īrchitect not known, Church was designed to seat 600. The Church building was a Former Welseyan Methodist church. The official name of the church is St Mary's and St Abu Saifain's Coptic Orthodox Church. The first Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales, consecrated in 1992 by HH Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria in the town of Risca, South Wales as a church of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church File:Fr Philopater Wahba.jpg So the return of the Church of Alexandria to these lands is of certain importance.Īlthough the Coptic Orthodox congregation has been present is Wales since the 1960s, The first Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales was consecrated in 1992 by HH Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria in the town of Risca, South Wales.Ĭurrently there are two Coptic Orthodox Churches in Wales. It is also know within the Celtic tradition, especially in Ireland that the foundation of the monastic system among the Celts was either based in portion or inspired by the Egyptians monastic system and there are many traces of Alexandrine Theology imbedded in the Celtic Theology. It is known in the ecclesiastical history of the Church of Alexandria that the Church had sent missionaries in the third or fourth century to the Celtic lands, especially monastics. Historical background Third and Fourth Centuries missionary work of the Church of Alexandria 3 Saint Mary and Saint Abasikhiron Coptic Orthodox Church.2 St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church.1.1 Third and Fourth Centuries missionary work of the Church of Alexandria.