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A Church for the Copts of Winnipeg
SAINT PHILOPATER MERCURIUS CHURCH, GUELPH
BY FATHER ATHANASIUS ISKANDER
Guelph is a university city that is situated 30 km East of Kitchener. Early in 2001, some of the Coptic families there requested to meet with me. On February 11, 2001, a meeting with His Grace Bishop Reweis was held. It was attended by ten families. They asked me to help them set up their own church, like I had helped other congregations!
His Grace Bishop Reweis, a great admirer of Saint Mercurius, suggested that the church be named after the great martyr. A church was rented and I celebrated the first Liturgy with the congregation on Saturday, March 10, 2001.
On June 18, 2002 the church was registered as a charity with the provincial and federal governments. By that time, services were being held two Saturdays a month.
Currently, services are held every Saturday, with the participation of Father Morcos Hanna and Father Johannes Awadalla.
His Holiness delegated priests from Egypt to celebrate Easter 2005 and Christmas 2006 with the congregation.
We hope, by the grace of God, to purchase a permanent church for the congregation of Saint Philopater Mercurius in Guelph.
March 10, 2001, father Athanasius celebrates first Liturgy in Guelph.
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Serving Copts Near the North Pole!