Coptic Orthodox Church of Australia (1969-1994)

Copyright © 1995
by C.O.P.T

All rights reserved

ISBN: 0 908000 24 3

Author, Mr Maged Attia

Edited by C.O.P.T
Printed in Australia
First Edition 1995

Coptic Orthodox Church of Australia (1969-1994)
By Maged Attia

Australia is a great and beautiful country with a promising future. Since its discovery by Europeans and the establishment of the first colony in New South Wales 206 years ago, it has welcomed with exceptional hospitality, persons from almost every race, colour and creed.

Indeed, the first fleet in 1788 brought the first multicultural community under the Southern Cross, %%,hile Australian policies on migration since World War 11 brought about the existing cultural pluralism, with 140 different ethnic groups, using 90 languages and practising a variety of religious traditions. The multicultural and multi-faith society we have today is undoubtedly the result of this spirit of openness displayed by this vast country in various degrees throughout the past.

The principle of religious freedom adopted by the Australian constitution enabled people from various traditional backgrounds to express their particular faith in their own manner and to live it; at times ivith considerable difficulty, in the Australian context.

Today, figures suggest the existence in Australia of over 50,000 Copts who together with Orthodox of other ethnic origins constitute the fourth largest Christian body in this continent.

Nevertheless, the experience is not uncommon, even among intellectuals, to confuse the Copts with some strange non-Christian belief or even ignore their historical identity.

To understand human history and human life wrote Ninian Smart, "it is necessary to understand religion and in the contemporary world one must understand other nations, ideologies and faith in order to grasp the meaning of life, as seen from perspectives often very different from our own".

From its humble beginning in January 1969, The Coptic Church in Australia has grown and flour­ished in a remarkable manner over the last two and half decades, attaining outstanding achievements:

- The establishment of twenty one vibrant churches, the ordination of thirteen priests from the congregation, the establishment of the first Orthodox Theological college in Australia, the construction of two monasteries, the establishment of a primary and secondary schools, the building of a nursing home in Melbourne, and the publication of Australia's only Christian Youth Magazine "St George,'.

It is almost impossible to narrate the entire story of the Coptic Church and community on this continent within this book.

I shall therefore attempt to acquaint the reader with this distinguished ethnic group which comes with a culture that goes back to Ancient Egypt and a religion that has its genesis in Apostolic Christianity.

Mr Maged Attia
Sydney, January, 1994 AD
(Toubah 1710 AM)

Coptic Orthodox Church of Australia
(1969-1994)

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