Overview
We are part of the Diocese of Sydney and Affiliated Regions, under the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate ("See of St. Mark") and His Holiness Pope Tawadros II.
We are located at 29 Chicago Avenue, Blacktown, NSW 2148, Sydney, Australia
St. Abanoub
The Child Martyr
Abanoub was only twelve years old when he was martyred by the Roman ruler. On July
31 our Church celebrates his death, as the day of his birth into eternal life.
Abanoub was born in a town called Nehisa in the Nile Delta. He was the only son
of good Christian parents who died when he was a young child. At age twelve Abanoub
entered the church to hear the priest asking the congregation to remain faithful
during the persecutions provoked by Diocletian, the Roman emperor.
Abanoub received the Holy Sacraments, then he prayed to God to guide him to where
he can confess his faith in Jesus our Lord. After that Abanoub went out, and gave
all his possessions to the needy. Then he set off to a city called Samanoud, on
foot. While he was walking, he saw the Archangel Michael in celestial glory. The
sight was so extraordinary that Abanoub fell to the ground, but the Archangel raised
him up, and told him that he must suffer for three days in Samanoud and he would
witness to Jesus Christ in other places also.
Once in Samanoud, Abanoub went to the Roman ruler and declared his faith openly.
He also insulted the ruler's idols. Abanoub was tortured severely, sometimes by
whipping and sometimes by tying him to a steel bed and igniting fire under him.
But in all these tribulations, the Lord showed his power and Abanoub was saved.
As a result of these miracles, many onlookers became Christians, and received the
crown of martyrdom. The ruler then gave orders to cut Abanoub's hands and feet.
Suddenly the Angel of the Lord came down from heaven, put the hands and feet in
place, and healed him. Then Abanoub got up and walked in front of everybody. Hundreds
of people became Christians as a result of that miracle. Finally one of the ruler's
advisers told him to behead the saint and put an end to that episode. So the ruler
ordered the soldiers to kill St. Abanoub by the sword. A faithful man called St.
Julius wrapped Abanoub's body in fine linen and sent him to his hometown Nehisa
where he was buried.
May the prayers and supplications of this great Martyr, the Child Saint Abanoub
be with us. Amen.
Coptic Origin
The term "Coptic" is derived from the Greek "Aigyptos" meaning "Egyptian", which
was, in turn, derived from "Hikaptah", one of the names for Memphis, the first capital
of Ancient Egypt.
From the Arab conquest and until today, this term refers to the Christian Egyptians
to distinguish them from the native Muslims.
The Copts as the successors of the ancient Egyptians are defined as the modern sons
of the Pharaohs. They played an essential role in the whole Christian world, especially
during the first five centuries.
The Coptic Church is based on the teachings of Saint Mark who brought Christianity
to Egypt during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero in the first century, a dozen
of years after the Lord's ascension. He was one of the four evangelists and the
one who wrote the oldest canonical gospel. Christianity spread throughout Egypt
within half a century of Saint Mark's arrival in Alexandria as is clear from the
New Testament writings found in Bahnasa, in Middle Egypt, which date around the
year 200 A.D., and a fragment of the Gospel of Saint John, written using the Coptic
language, which was found in Upper Egypt and can be dated to the first half of the
second century.
The Coptic Church or the Church of Alexandria is called "See of St. Mark;" one of
the earliest four sees: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome.
Our Belief
The Orthodox Creed
We believe in one God, God the Father, the Almighty, Who created heaven and earth,
and all things, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten of the
Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created,
of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made; Who for us, men, and
for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnated of the Holy Spirit
and of the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius
Pilate, suffered and was buried. And on the third day He rose from the dead, according
to the Scriptures, and ascended into the heavens; and sat at the right hand of His
Father, and also He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead,
whose kingdom has no end.
Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giver, Who proceeds from
the Father, Who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke
in the prophets. And in one holy, catholic and apostolic church. We confess one
baptism for the remission of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the coming age. Amen.