About Us
Learn about our faith and our church
Our Faith
History of the Coptic Orthodox Church:
The Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient churches in the world. The Coptic Church was established in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by St. Mark the Evangelist in the city of Alexandria in the first century around 43 A.D.
The Coptic Orthodox Church is rich with her evangelistic and ascetic life, her genuine patriotic inheritance, her heavenly worship, her spiritual rituals, her effective and living hymns, her beautiful icons, and her Holy Sacraments. She attracts the heart towards heaven without ignoring actual daily life.
About Our Diocese
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III is the 116 Successor of St. Mark the Evangelist. His Holiness' era is marked by a remarkable growth in the number of Coptic churches abroad. To address the needs of these churches, His Holiness felt the urgency to establish dioceses abroad. Thus, the first Coptic Orthodox Diocese to be established in the United States is the Diocese of the Southern United States in 1993. H.H. Pope Shenouda III appointed His Grace Bishop Youssef to oversee this Diocese.
The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States is composed of the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
H.H. Pope Tawadros II
118th Pope of Alexandria and
Patrarch of the See of St. Mark
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II was born Wagih Sobhy Baky Soliman on November 4th, 1952 in Mansoura. His father was an irrigation engineer and his family moved around during his childhood from Mansoura to Sohag and then to Damanhour.
He received his bachelor's degree in pharmacy in 1975 from Alexandria University and earned a fellowship for the World Health Organization from the British International Health Institute in England in 1985. He attended the Coptic Seminary and graduated in 1983. He then worked as a manager in a pharmaceutical company in Damanhour that was owned by the Ministry of Health.
His Holiness's life has always revolved around church since his youth; he wished to live the life of monasticism. He entered the Monastery of St. Pishoy in Wadi Elnatroun on August 20th, 1986 and remained a brother for two years. He was ordained a monk on July 31, 1988 and after a year he was ordained a priest on December 23, 1989. Two months after, H.H. Pope Tawadros started serving with H.E. Metropolitan Pakhomius of Beheira on February 15th, 1990. He was ordained a bishop on June 15th, 1997 by H.H. the Late Pope Shenouda III as a General Bishop assisting H.E. Metropolitan Pakhomius. His Holiness focused on childhood whether it was in the country-wide children's festival as well when he was in charge of the children's committee in the Holy Synod. Before assuming the papacy, H.H. wrote twelve books.
His Holiness was enthroned as the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Pope of the See of St. Mark on November 19th, 2012 at the Cathedral of St. Reweiss in Abbassiya, Cairo. The enthronement was presided by H.E. Metropolitan Pakhomius of Beheira, other metropolitans and bishops of the Coptic church and was attended by many delegates of Christian Churches.
His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef
Listening to the call of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Grace Bishop Youssef entered the monastic life in 1986 at the El-Souryan Monastery. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1988. Then in 1989, he came to the United States under the auspices of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of the Holy See of St. Mark. He was appointed resident priest to serve the Coptic congregation of St. Mary Church in Dallas/Fort Worth.
In 1992, His Grace was ordained as General Bishop and in 1993, His Grace was appointed to oversee the Southern Coptic Diocese. In 1995, His Grace was enthroned as the first Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Then in 2022, His Grace was elevated to Metropolitan by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, the 118th Pope of the Holy See of St. Mark.
You may reach the Office of H.E. Metropolitan Youssef by telephone at 817-841-9353, by fax at 817-704-2389, or by e-mail at office@suscopts.org.
Our Church
The Coptic Orthodox community started in Memphis in the mid-1980s, with only three families at that time. In 2004, we acquired our existing church site and by the Grace of God, we seem to be outgrowing it, thanks to the growth of our church members arriving to Memphis and its’ suburbs. On November 13, 2022, H.G. Bishop Youssef ordained Father Demetri Iskander priest for our church.
Our congregation has grown over the years. Besides, many youths from various states come to Memphis every year studying at the University of Tennessee health science center Medical School, Pharmacy school, Dental school, Physician Assistant, and Physical Therapy. Memphis is also home to the Southern College of Optometry.
We pray that we may be faithful to our mission and in what God has granted us. All thanks and glory be to Him.
Please stop by during any of our services or contact us on the site so that we may serve you!
Our fellowship hall where we hold weekly agape meals after the service.
We have a cry room attached to the sanctuary for parents with young children.
Meet Our Priest
Fr. Demetri Iskander
Fr. Demetri Iskander is the priest for St. Mary & St. Rouis Coptic Orthodox Church in Memphis, TN. H.G. Bishop Youssef ordained him priest on November 13, 2022, with the presence of H.G. Bishop Basil and H.G. Bishop Gregory. We pray that the Lord will continue blessing his service.
Fr. Demetri graduated with bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering. He served in many services within the Coptic Church in Cairo-Egypt. After moving to the United States in 2017, he continued serving in the Coptic Churches in Houston TX and Atlanta GA. In 2022, the Divine Call arrived for the priesthood.
Fr. Demetri is married to Phoebe and is father to Steven.
If you would like to reach Fr. Demetri Iskander, he may be contacted by email at FrDemetriSaad@gmail.com.
