Leader to consecrate Coptic church

Pope Shenouda III saw only the foundation when he visited two years ago. He now will find a building filled with symbolism.

By LISA GREENE

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 20, 2001

CLEARWATER -- The shiny, white stucco walls and gleaming copper roof couldn't look any newer.

[Times photo: Jill Sagers] The St. Mary and St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Clearwater was completed last year. It will be consecrated Sunday.

But the prayers said at St. Mary and St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church belong to one of the world's oldest religions.

On Sunday, the leader of the church, Pope Shenouda III, will come to Clearwater to consecrate the new church, which was completed last year.

"It is a dream for me, and for almost every member of our church," said Sam Youssef, a member of the church's board of directors. "This church was built by miracles."

Just seven years ago, the congregation had only 15 families, said Rev. Ekladious Khalil, the priest at St. Mary and St. Mina.

Today, the only Coptic church in Pinellas County has 120 families.

Even more people will crowd the church Sunday. Church members from all over the country are expected to attend the service.

"You won't find an inch of space here," said church deacon Victor Beshir as he looked around the quiet nave.

His voice echoed around the church, making it hard to imagine it packed with people.

"I never imagined we would build a church like this," he said.

At the service, Pope Shenouda will consecrate the altar in a building rich with symbolism.

He will stand in the church sanctuary, where the back wall is curved "to remind us that God opens his arms to us all the time," Beshir said.

The sanctuary is at the heart of the 15,000-square-foot building, which is shaped like a cross "so that inside, we all are under the redemption of the cross," Beshir said. Paintings of St. George, St. Mark, St. Mina, Mary and Jesus decorate the walls of the church nave. Coptic church members from around the country made donations to build the soaring $1.6-million building, Khalil said.

It is quite a change for a church whose members pride themselves on preserving the original teachings of Christianity. Members said the church, based in Alexandria, Egypt, was founded in 60 A.D. by St. Mark, the author of the second gospel of the New Testament.

There are six other Coptic churches in Florida and about 100 throughout the country. There are at least 5-million Coptic Orthodox members around the world. In Egypt, Copts make up about 10 percent of the population, but they have sometimes faced religious persecution.

Shenouda has led the church since 1971. He is the church's 117th leader.

A decade ago, the small Clearwater congregation worshiped in a converted garage. Their first site for a church disappeared when the Florida Department of Transportation bought the land to use as a retention pond.

After the congregation bought the five acres of land off Sunset Point Road, they held services in a small house on the property. They began building the church in 1998.

Youssef said he always knew the small congregation would reach its dream.

"We have a lot of faith in God," he said. "We knew he was going to help us out."

Pope Shenouda visited the church for the first time two years ago.

"It had no walls," Khalil said. "He saw the foundation."

On Sunday, Shenouda will witness another kind of beginning as well. He plans to baptize two babies.

The church is at 2930 County Road 193, off Sunset Point Road east of U.S. 19. Sunday's service begins at 9 a.m.

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