we mourn & pray

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18555 88 Avenue, Surrey, British Columbia, V4N 5T1, Canada

On July 19, 2021, the congregation of St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Surrey, B.C., woke up to news that their church had been burned to the ground. Flames broke out shortly before 3:30 AM and by the time firefights arrived, the building was engulfed in flames that were visible for miles. This nearly 70-year-old building was much more than just a building; Bishop Mina said in a statement, “… it was a place [where] we built community, where we shared meals, where we married our youth, baptized our babies and welcomed newcomers to the faith…” Our Church brought together a diverse congregation of Coptic, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Iraqi and Lebanese Orthodox believers. While we are thankful to all those who have reached out and offered their churches as a temporary location where our services can continue to be held, we hold strong in the belief that our Lord Jesus Christ will “restore its ruins and will rebuild it as it used to be.” (Amos 9:11). We rely on your generosity to be able to once again build a church that will be a beacon of light to all those around it and serve the needs of its congregation and the surrounding community.

Update on August 30, 2021 4:00 PM: Surrey RCMP issued a press release regarding their investigation into the fire that destroyed our church. On Thursday August 26, 2021 they arrested a 35-year old woman and charged her with two counts of arson in connection with the incidents on July 14, and July 19, 2021.

Four ways to donate

1. Credit Card through PayPal

2. Credit Card through GoFundMe

St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Surrey, BC Facebook

3. E-transfer

Canadians can donate by E-transfer to donation@stgeorge.ca

4. Wire Transfer

To do a wire transfer from the USA or anywhere else in the world, the transferee must include the following information:
Swift code: TDOMCATTTOR
Bank name: TD Canada Trust
Branch address: 1140 Johnston Street, Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7G5
Name of recipient: Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate / St. George Coptic Orthodox Church
Account # (USD): 9324 0936 7305119
Account # (CAD): 9324 0936 5211993
Social Media
St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Surrey, BC, YouTube Channel
St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Surrey, BC - Facebook
St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Surrey, BC - Instagram
Media coverage about church destruction

Message from Bishop Mina

Press release from church board

Message from Eritrean Kudus Giorgis Orthodox Tewahdo Church

Message from Coptic Orthodox Bishops of North America

Coptic Orthodox Bishops of North America

Message from St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church

Arabic letter from Egyptian Embassy in Ottawa

Arabic letter from Egyptian Embassy in Ottawa

English letter from Egyptian Embassy in Ottawa

English letter from Egyptian Embassy in Ottawa

Message from St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in Surrey, BC

The Feast of The Great Pope Kirollos the VI

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March 9, 2026 Amshir 30, 1742

Saint Pope Kyrillos VI (1902–1971) was the 116th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, serving from 1959 to 1971. Known as a “silent patriarch” and a modern-day saint, he was renowned for his intense asceticism, unceasing prayer, and the performance of numerous miracles. His papacy marked a significant spiritual revival within the Coptic Orthodox Church, including the expansion of church-building inside and outside of Egypt.

Early Life and Background
Birth: Born Azer Atta on August 2, 1902, in Damanhour, Egypt, to a pious middle-class family.
Piety: As a child, he showed great love for the church, spending time in prayer and reading the Bible.
Pre-Monastic Life: After high school, he worked for a shipping company in Alexandria but left his career to pursue a monastic life against his family’s wishes.

Monastic Life (1927–1959)
Monkhood: Entered the Monastery of El-Baramous on July 27, 1927, and was ordained a monk on February 25, 1928, taking the name Mina.
Asceticism: He lived a life of extreme asceticism, often surviving on minimal food and water during Lent.
Solitude: He desired a life of solitude and lived in a cave near the monastery, later moving to a deserted windmill in Old Cairo, where he prayed, studied, and held daily liturgies.
Service: He built a church for St. Mina in Cairo and established a dormitory for students, many of whom later became Church leaders.

Papacy (1959–1971)
Election: Ordained Pope on May 10, 1959.
Spiritual Legacy: He was known for holding daily masses and making himself accessible to all, often spending hours blessing visitors.
Key Achievements:
Monastery of St. Mina: Established the new monastery of St. Mina in Mariout.
Cathedral Construction: Built the new St. Mark’s Cathedral at Anba Rouis.
Relics of St. Mark: Successfully restored the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist from Italy in 1968.
International Expansion: Established the first Coptic Orthodox churches in Asia, Canada, Australia, and America.
Zeitoun Apparitions: The famous apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Zeitoun occurred during his papacy.

Death and Canonization
Departure: Passed away on March 9, 1971.
Burial: Initially buried under the altar of the cathedral, his body was later moved to the Monastery of St. Mina in Mariout in 1972, according to his will.
Canonization: Recognized as a saint by the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church on June 20, 2013.

Our Church

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Thank you for your donation!!!

HG Bishop Mina

1-647-772-2233
1-289-724-3300
anbamina762009@gmail.com
Fr. Bisenty Abdel-Messih Gerges Fr. Armia Aziz Gerges
Father Bisenty Abdel-Messih Gergis
peniot@hotmail.com 		Fr. Armia Aziz Gerges
fr.armia@stgeorge.ca