The French Coptic Orthodox Church (french: link=no, Métropole copte orthodoxe de France) is a

Coptic Orthodox The Coptic Orthodox Church ( cop, Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ, translit=Ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos, lit=the Egyptian Orthodox Church; ar, الكنيسة القبطي� ...

jurisdiction centered in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

History

Coptic

immigration to France According to the French national institute of statistics INSEE, the 2018 census counted nearly 9 million immigrants (foreign-born people) in France, representing 14.0% of the total population. Eurostat estimated the foreign-born population t ...

began as early as 1801 after the

French Invasion of Egypt The French campaign in Egypt and Syria (1798–1801) was Napoleon Bonaparte's campaign in the Ottoman territories of Egypt and Syria, proclaimed to defend French trade interests, to establish scientific enterprise in the region. It was the ...

and there was significant immigration after the 1952 Revolution in Egypt. The church was canonically instituted by

Pope Shenouda III Pope Shenouda III (; cop, Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ϣⲉⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲅ̅ '; ar, بابا الإسكندرية شنودة الثالث '; 3 August 1923 – 17 March 2012) was the List of Coptic Orthodox Popes of Alexandria, 117th ...

on 2 July 1974 as the French Coptic Orthodox Eparchy. On 18 June 1994 Pope Shenouda raised the status of the eparchy to the French Coptic Orthodox Church, a newbody. The church was headed by

Metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a typ ...

Marcos until his death on 11 May 2008. The seat of the head of the French Coptic Orthodox Church remained vacant until the enthronement of Bishop Athanasius, a member of the

Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the highest Orthodox authority in the Coptic Orthodox Church. It formulates the rules and regulations regarding matters of the Church's organisation and faith. The synod is chaired by ...

, to the diocese on 16 June 2013. The French-speaking Coptic community is now served by

Athanasius.

Bishops

Primates of the French Coptic Orthodox Church

*Marcos, Metropolitan of the Holy Metropolis of Toulon and of all France, and Primate of the French Coptic Orthodox Church. (1974-2008) *Athanasius, Metropolitan of the Holy Metropolis of

Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...

and of all France, and Primate of the French Coptic Orthodox Church. (2013-Present) **Diocesan Bishop of the Holy Diocese of

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...

Diocesan Bishops

* Luka, Diocesan Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Geneva (Switzerland) and Southern France. (2013-Present) *Marc, Diocesan Bishop of the Holy Diocese of Paris and all Northern France. (2015-Present)

References

External links

The French Coptic Orthodox ChurchFrance CopteCoptipedia