Our Clergy
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HIS HOLINESS POPE TAWADROS II
118TH POPE OF ALEXANDRIA AND POPE OF THE SEE OF ST.MARK
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, born Wagih Sobhy Baky Soliman on November 4, 1952, in Mansoura, Egypt, earned a pharmacy degree from Alexandria University in 1975 and a WHO fellowship in England in 1985. After graduating from the Coptic Seminary in 1983, he managed a pharmaceutical company. He joined St. Pishoy Monastery in 1986, was ordained a monk in 1988, and a priest in 1989. He served with Metropolitan Pakhomius and was ordained bishop in 1997. A passionate advocate for youth, he led children’s programs and authored twelve books. He became the 118th Pope of Alexandria on November 19, 2012.
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HIS GRACE METROPOLITAN SERAPION
Bishop of Los Angeles and Metropolitan of Southern California
and Hawaii
Metropolitan Serapion is the first hierarch of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii. He was ordained a priest on July 18, 1981, at El-Sourian Monastery and served the Coptic community in Switzerland from 1983 to 1985. On June 2, 1985, he was consecrated as bishop in Cairo. Appointed to the Diocese of Los Angeles in 1995, he was enthroned on December 23 of that year. In 2016, Pope Tawadros II elevated him to Metropolitan. He actively serves on several national and international ecumenical councils.
HIS GRACE BISHOP ABRAHAM
His Grace Bishop Abraham (previously Fr. Ishak Azmy Boules) was born on October 11, 1965 and lived in Egypt where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Commerce and Accounting in 1987. Immediately following his graduation, he was ordained as a consecrated deacon in the Bishopric of Public, Ecumenical and Social Services and served in Cairo from 1988 until 1997. During this time, he was an active deacon and servant in the Church of St. Mary in Masarra, Shoubra, Cairo.
On May 31, 2001, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, along with then Bishop Serapion, ordained him as a celibate priest for the St. Paul Brotherhood in which he served until 2016. On March 14, 2016, His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion elevated him to the priestly dignity of Hegumen before he was tonsured as a monk in St. Antony Monastery in Yermo, California.
On June 12, 2016, he was consecrated as the Auxiliary Bishop for Diakonia in the Diocese of Los Angeles by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II at the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary in Zeitoun, Cairo.
He currently oversees Diakonia (i.e., Social Services) within the Diocese of Los Angeles under the auspices of His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion.
HIS GRACE BISHOP KYRILLOS
His Grace Bishop Kyrillos (formerly Fr. John Paul Abdelsayed) is the first American-born bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies from UCLA and a Juris Doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. He also earned two Masters degrees in Theology from Holy Cross Orthodox School of Theology in Boston, and a Ph.D in History of Christianity from the University of Notre Dame, School of Theology, in Indiana.
After serving as a consecrated deacon at the Coptic Orthodox Christian Center from 2000-2002, he was ordained as a celibate priest for St. Paul Brotherhood on October 20, 2002. He served at St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Riverside for several years. On March 14, 2016, His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion elevated him to the priestly dignity of Hegumen. On Thomas Sunday, May 8, 2016, he was tonsured a monk by His Grace Bishop Sarabamon at the Monastery of Abba Antony in Yermo, California.
With great joy, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II consecrated him as an auxiliary (general) bishop to serve alongside His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion in the Diocese on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary in Zeitoun, Egypt.
He currently oversees Christian education in the Diocese and serves as Dean of the St. Athanasius and St. Cyril Theological School at Claremont University
Father Macarius Shehata
Father Macarius Shehata was born on March 29, 1944 Assiut, Egypt.
On January 14, 2001, he was ordained Priest by His Grace Bishop Serapion. He served at St. Mary of Egypt Church in Santa Clarita and St. Justina Church in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and St. Mina in Riverside.
On Sunday, November 6, 2016, he received the priestly dignity of the rank of Hegumen.
Father Bishoy Ray
Fr. Bishoy was born August 13. He grew up in Heliopolis, Cairo and received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He earned a diploma in management from the American University in Cairo in 1996, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Theological Studies from the Coptic Seminary in Cairo in 1998. Before his ordination to the priesthood, Fr. Bishoy served as a youth servant and Sunday school teacher for the middle school and high school youth at Saint George & Saint Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church in Heliopolis. He also served with the Coptic clubs and the Middle School Youth Committee of the Bishopric of Youth. Fr. Bishoy was ordained to the priesthood on September 9, 2001. He served at St. Antonius Coptic Orthodox Church in Hayward, CA for 10 years before moving to Southern California and Serving at St Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Colton, California, in 2017. On Tuesday, November 24, 2020, he was elevated to the priestly dignity of Hegumen by His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion accompanied by His Grace Bishop Suriel, His Grace Bishop Abraham, and His Grace Bishop Kyrillos.
Father Jeremiah Awad
Father Jeremiah Awad was born in Cairo, Egypt. He was a Family Physician before he was called to the priesthood. His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion accompanied by His Grace Bishop Suriel, His Grace Bishop Abraham, and His Grace Bishop Kyrillos ordained him as Full Deacon on October 27, 2022, during the monthly clergy meeting and then ordained him as Presbyter on October 30, 2022 to serve at St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Colton, California.
Archdeacon Kyrillos Beshara
On April 15, 2021, His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion accompanied by His Grace Bishop Abraham and His Grace Bishop Kyrillos laid hands on and ordained Archdeacon Kyrillos for the Christ loving Diocese of Los Angeles to serve at St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Riverside, California.
Deacon Mina Zakhary
On April 15, 2021, His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion accompanied by His Grace Bishop Abraham and His Grace Bishop Kyrillos laid hands on and ordained Deacon Mina on for the Christ loving Diocese of Los Angeles to serve at St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Colton, California.
Deacon Boutros Peters
On April 15, 2021, His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion accompanied by His Grace Bishop Abraham and His Grace Bishop Kyrillos laid hands on and ordained Deacon Boutros for the Christ loving Diocese of Los Angeles to serve at St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Colton, California.
Previous Clergy
Late Father Abrahim Aziz
The Late Father Abrahim Aziz Gindi earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering and Architecture.
He was ordained by His Holiness Pope Kyrillos the sixth on April 18, 1962, and was promoted to the priestly rank of Hegomen in 1968. He served in the Church of Saint Mary & Saint Rueiss in Egypt from 1962 to 1980; Saint Mark Church in Los Angeles, California for five months in 1971; and Saint Mary Church in Los Angeles for 6 months between 1975 and 1976. He is currently serving in Saint George Church in Bellflower, California.
On January 17, 2023, having completed his earthy mission in serving everyone, he departed in peace.
Late Father Daniel Farag
The late Father Daniel Farag was born on February 19, 1936.
He was an active servant at Saint Mark’s in Los Angeles, Saint Mark’s in Houston, and Saint Antony’s in Hayward, California.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda ordained him a presbyter on November 11, 1990. Ten years later, on January 16, 2000, His Grace Bishop Serapion elevated him to the rank of hegumen.
On August 20, 2003, minutes after finishing the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, Father Daniel departed in the Lord.
May the Lord repose his soul in eternal joy.
Father Lazarus Yassa
Father Lazarus was born and raised in Southern California.
He holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University.
Prior to his consecration and ordination, he worked as a journalist in Los Angeles, CA and as a Mental Health Clinician in Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia from 2001-2008.
He previously served at St. George in Bellflower, CA from 2000-2004, St. Verena and the Three Holy Youth from 2004-2006 and St. Anthony in Medford, NJ from 2006-2008.
On November 2, 2008, he was ordained as a presbyter by His Grace Bishop Serapion and His Grace Bishop Youssef of the Diocese of the Southern United States to serve in the Diocese and assigned to St. Mina in Riverside and St. George Church in Bellflower.
Most recently. His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion assigned him to serve at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Long Beach
Father Antony Selim
Father Antony Nassif Selim was born in Egypt in 1977.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce, Department of Foreign Trade, from Helwan University and studied at the Theological Seminary in Cairo.
He served at Saint George Coptic Orthodox Church in Heliopolis, Cairo until his ordination as presbyter by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on June 16, 2005. He served briefly at Saint Maurice and Saint Verena Coptic Village in Big Bear, Saint Mark Church in Honolulu, Saint Abanoub and Saint Antony Church in Norco, Saint Pope Kyrillos VI Church in Westminster as well as Saint Mina Church in Riverside. In 2021, Father Antony began to serve at St. Demiana Church in San Diego, California.
Late Archdeacon Mina Tadrous
The Late Archdeacon Mina Tadrous was born in 1946.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Alexandria, Egypt. He worked in the Ministry of Irrigation in Egypt from 1970 to 1988 prior to moving to the United States. Since then, he worked in construction, primarily that of churches.
His Grace Bishop Serapion ordained him as an archdeacon to serve St. Mina Church in Riverside on November 24, 2006.
On Thursday, January 28, 2021, having completed his good strife, he departed into eternal rest. May his memory be eternal!