Serapion (Coptic bishop of Los Angeles)

He joined the Monastery of Saint Pishoy on April 8, 1979.

He was tonsured a monk on August 6, 1979, and ordained a priest on July 18, 1981 at El-Sourian Monastery. On December 23, 1982, he was assigned to serve the Coptic congregations in Zurich, Lausanne, and Geneva, Switzerland.

On June 2, 1985, he was ordained Bishop for the Bishopric of Public, Ecumenical, and Social Services at St. Mark Cathedral in Cairo, becoming a member of The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. [1] During his tenure in this capacity, he established three major departments designed for

1. the growth and development of services,
2. serving the family, and
3. international relationship with other churches.

Training centers were created to educate and train 300 workers every year in various trades, which helped in improving their standard of living. Numerous projects were started which employed a large number of those workers. Services extended to Coptic families in rural areas and small villages where spiritual guidance, medical services, housing, and financial assistance were offered.

Bishop Serapion has represented the Coptic Orthodox Church at the International Council of Churches and has established long term relationships with other churches in the United States, Canada, and Italy. He was the first Coptic bishop invited to attend the annual conference of the Church of Scotland.

On November 14, 1995, at Saint Mark's Cathedral at Anba Rowiss, Abbassia, Egypt, Pope Shenouda III consecrated Bishop Serapion to be Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii.[2]

On December 23, 1995, he was enthroned by Bishop Sarabamon, Bishop Hedra, Bishop Roweiss, Bishop Mittaous, Bishop Youssef, and Bishop Karas as Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii at Holy Virgin Mary Church in Los Angeles.[1]

On Wednesday, May 8, 2013, Bishop Serapion traveled to the Vatican to join a delegation of Coptic Orthodox bishops accompanying Pope Tawadros II in a historic visit to meet Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Tawadros' visit marks the first official visit by the Pope of Alexandria to the Pope of Rome in over 40 years, since Pope Shenouda III met with Pope Paul VI in 1973 and began ecumenical dialogue. This was also Tawadros's first trip outside of Egypt since his election to the papacy in November 2012.

On February 28, 2016, at Anba Roweiss, Abbassia, Egypt, Pope Tawadros II elevated Bishop Serapion to the episcopal dignity of Metropolitan, making the Diocese a Metropolis Diocese. Pope Tawadros II also called two bishops to assist Metropolitan Serapion in serving: Bishop Abraham and Bishop Kyrillos.[3]

On February 15, 2019, Bishop Suriel also relocated to assist Metropolitan Serapion in the service of the Diocese.

• Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States
• Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii

• Gallery of the Coptic Holy Synod of Egypt (All Coptic Bishops)
• Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles | The Official Website of the Diocese under the Auspices of Metropolitan Serapion
• Home | St. Mary & St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church