Archbishop Anba Angaelos is the
Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London and Papal Legate to the UK and to
Sydney and its Affiliated Regions.
Early Life
Angaelos was born in
Cairo, Egypt and emigrated with his family to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
when he spent his childhood years. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in political science, philosophy and sociology, and went on to postgraduate studies in law whilst working in the same field.
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Religious Life
In 1990, Angaelos returned to Egypt to join the Monastery of Saint Bishoy
The Monastery of Saint Pishoy (also spelled Bishoy, Pshoi, or Bishoi) in Wadi El Natrun, Beheira Governorate, Egypt, is the most famous monastery of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria named after Pishoy. It is the easternmost of the f ...
in Wadi-El-Natroun
Wadi El Natrun (Arabic: "Valley of Natron"; Coptic: , "measure of the hearts") is a depression in northern Egypt that is located below sea level and below the Nile River level. The valley contains several alkaline lakes, natron-rich salt d ...
, where he was subsequently consecrated a monk by Pope Shenouda III. He served as Papal secretary until 1995, and was then delegated by the Pope to serve as a parish priest in the United Kingdom.[ He was consecrated in 1999 as a General Bishop ( a rank between auxiliary bishop and chorbishop) in the United Kingdom of the ]Coptic Orthodox Church
The Coptic Orthodox Church ( cop, Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ, translit=Ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos, lit=the Egyptian Orthodox Church; ar, الكنيسة القبطي ...
.
Political Awards & Activism
In the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are present ...
, Angaelos was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(OBE) for services to international religious freedom.[United Kingdom: ]
In 2021, Angaelos opposed plans by the government of New South Wales, where he was then residing, to introduce mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all church attendees.
See also
* The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church
* Coptic Orthodox Church in Europe
* List of Copts
References
External links
*
Coptic Orthodox Diocese of London
Interviewed on ANN TV 2015 discusses Christian Minorities and Modern Citizenship
{{DEFAULTSORT:Angaelos, Archbishop
1967 births
Living people
British Oriental Orthodox Christians
British anti-vaccination activists
Coptic Orthodox bishops
Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom
Egyptian emigrants to England
21st-century Oriental Orthodox archbishops
20th-century Oriental Orthodox bishops
Australian people of Coptic descent
Egyptian emigrants to Australia
Australian emigrants to England
English people of Coptic descent
Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom
Officers of the Order of the British Empire