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Saint Mena & Saint Abraam Church, Toronto
A CHURCH FOR THE COPTS OF WINNIPEG
BY FATHER ATHANASIUS ISKANDER
The city of Winnipeg is the capital of the province of Manitoba in Central Canada. The Copts of Winnipeg have a church registered as Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church. They used to hold a Liturgy once a month in a rented church.
In the fall of 1992, Dr. Amazis Louka, a prominent member of the congregation, phoned me to ask if I would visit them once a month to pray an English Liturgy. I accepted.
By 1994, I started to explore with them the idea of buying their own church, in the hope of having a permanent priest to serve them. In March 1995, a church was found for $150,000. I consulted His Grace Bishop Tadros who asked me to put the matter to the congregation in a secret ballot. This was done on Saturday, June 17, 1995 after the Liturgy. The congregation overwhelmingly approved. I worked with them to arrange a mortgage.
The church was ready by September 1995. His Grace Bishop Tadros was invited to celebrate the first Liturgy in the new church. The congregation is currently served by Father Marcos Farag, who was ordained by His Holiness for that church.
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Saint Philopater Mercurius Church, Guelph