Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States is a diocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria located in the United States of America and encompassing the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.Khalil served in several churches and was reported repeatedly throughout the years to Bishop Youssef and many Priests, little was done to bring him to justice.
History
The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States was established in 1993 by Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria in response to the growing number of Coptic Orthodox Churches abroad. was the first Coptic Orthodox Diocese to be established in the United States.Scandals
Pedophilia
On July 14th 2020, after public decelerations by a victims, the pedophile priest Hegomen Reweis Aziz Khalil was exposed and later defrocked. Khalil served in several churches and was reported repeatedly throughout the years Khalil assaulted several girls and women in the diocese during the sacrament of confession. Khalil was moved to another diocese following the discovery.Khalil served in several churches and was reported repeatedly throughout the years within the church community, little was done to bring him to justice. In a leaked church investigation it was revealed that priests and doctors from the community councillor members to keep quiet in order to not defame the church, to prevent Khalil from going to prison and potentially being killed there, and to prevent church leaders of the diocese from being prosecuted in the United States.
Pope Tawadros II and the late Pope Shenouda re both aware of the priest's actions but did little to reprimand him. Bishop Youssef, the current bishop of this diocese, was well aware of the priests actions since before 2002 and never reported Fr. Khalil to authorities.
Statistics
Parishes and schools
As of 2015, the Diocese of the Southern United States operates 64 parishes. However, only 38 of these of formal churches, the other 28 are categorized as communities, which means that they are congregations, and usually possess a church building, but are not full 'churches' yet in that they are not large enough by diocesan standards to be recognized as churches. Communities are served by a visiting priest from a recognized church.Churches
Florida- St. Mary and St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, Clearwater
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Daytona Beach
- St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, Delray Beach
- St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Fort Myers
- St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church, Jacksonville
- St. Anthony Coptic Orthodox Church, Maitland
- Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Melbourne
- St. John the Baptist Coptic Orthodox Church, Miami
- St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church, New Port Richey
- St. Reweis Coptic Orthodox Church, New Tampa
- St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Orlando
- St. Rebekah Coptic Orthodox Church, Orlando
- St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church, Pensacola
- St. Simon the Tanner Coptic Orthodox Church, Sarasota
- St. Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Tallahassee
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Tampa
- St. Peter, Seal of the Martyrs Coptic Orthodox Church, West Palm Beach
Louisiana
- St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, New Orleans
- St. Pishoy Coptic Orthodox Church, Antioch
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, La Vergne
- St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, Nashville
- St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Nashville
- St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, Nashville
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Nashville
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Arlington
- The Holy Cross Coptic Orthodox Church, Austin
- St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, Colleyville
- St. Philopateer Coptic Orthodox Church, Dallas
- St. Abanoub Coptic Orthodox Church, Euless
- St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Houston
- Archangel Raphael Coptic Orthodox Church, Houston
- St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Houston
- St. Antony the Great Coptic Orthodox Church, San Antonio
Communities
- St. John Kame Coptic Orthodox Church, Birmingham
- Coptic Community, Mobile
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Little Rock
- St. John the Beloved Coptic Orthodox
- Coptic Community, Crystal River
- Coptic Community, Destin
- St. Mary Magdalene Coptic Orthodox Church, Gainesville
- Coptic Community, Florida Keys
- St. Cyril the Great Coptic Orthodox Church, Orlando
- St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church, Orlando
- Coptic Community, Panama City
- Coptic Community, The Villages
- St. Philopateer Coptic Orthodox Church, Vero Beach
- Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Macon
- St. Augustine Coptic Orthodox Church, Martinez
- St. Abanoub Coptic Orthodox Church, Savannah
- St. Mary of Egypt Coptic Orthodox Church, Lafayette
- St. Barbara Coptic Orthodox Church, Shreveport
- St. Pishoy Coptic Orthodox Church, Albuquerque
- St. Peter and St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church, Bixby
- St. Samuel the Confessor Coptic Orthodox Church, Lawton
- Coptic Community, Oklahoma City
- Coptic Community, Chattanooga
- St. Abba Sarapamone Coptic Orthodox Church, Clarksville
- St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, Knoxville
- St. Mary and St. Rueis Coptic Orthodox Church, Memphis
- St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church, Ooltewah
- Coptic Community, Beaumont
- St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, College Station
- Coptic Community, Corpus Christi
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Lubbock
Schools
Tennessee
- St. Clement Coptic Orthodox Christian Academy, Nashville
Publications
Bishops
- Bishop Youssef