Coptic pope will be
here next week for
church dedication

The pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church will be in Hawaii next week for the dedication of the denomination's Honolulu church.

Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, Egypt, will preside at the Tuesday morning consecration of the altar at St. Mark Coptic Church, 1052 Ilima Drive. Bishop Serapion of the Los Angeles province that encompasses Hawaii and other visiting church officials will also participate.

The Rev. Anastasi St. Anthony is pastor of the local church, which has about 120 members. Before buying the Alewa Heights church, formerly Grace Bible Church, the Coptic congregation had worshipped for several years in a Catholic chapel in Kaimuki.

Pope Shenouda III, 81, was elected 33 years ago to lead the Coptic Orthodox Church, an Egyptian branch of Orthodox Christianity, after years as a teacher, seminary president and leader of the church's education programs.

During his tenure as pontiff, the number of Coptic congregations in the United States has grown from two to more than 40, a reflection of the emigration of Christians from the Middle East because freedom to practice their religion is affected by Islamic fundamentalism.