About Us
The Coptic Church is based on our Lord Jesus Christ's teachings conveyed to us by Saint Mark who brought Christianity to Egypt during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero in the first century, a dozen of years after the Lord's ascension.
He was one of the four evangelists and the one who wrote the oldest canonical gospel.
Christianity spread throughout Egypt within half a century of Saint Mark's arrival in Alexandria. The Coptic Church, which is now more than nineteen centuries old, was the subject of many prophecies in the Old Testament.
Meet us
The congregation of Archangel Raphael and St. John the Beloved Coptic Orthodox Church prayed its first liturgy January 3, 2009 in a rented church near downtown Chapel Hill.
We then moved into a rented space across from Southpoint Mall in October 2009 and prayed there for 3 years until moving into our new church on Old Lystra road in November, 2012.
Our congregation first bought 21 acres of land on August 19th 2010, on the Feast day of the Transfiguration of our Lord.
Then, in January 2012, the church broke ground and the construction of our new church began. From its beginning, our church had over 18 visiting priests serving us in over a 4 year period since the church began.
Fr. Morcos Habib prayed the first liturgy on January 3, 2009 and stayed with us for 1.5 years until moving to another church in New Jersey. With the approval of Pope Tawadros II, Fr. Angelos became our permanent priest on November 11th, 2012. We prayed the first liturgy in our new church on Old Lystra Road on November 18th, 2012, the same day that Bishop Tawadros was enthroned Pope.
Today our congregation is over 100 families and continues to grow. We have many activities for the kids, youth and adults, including Bible studies, special lectures from outside speakers, retreats, summer camps, and sports.
Our church is also in the process of establishing a new Sunday School curriculum for Kindergarten through high school. Much of the curriculum is already posted on the church website.
H.G. BISHOP PETER
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of North & South Carolina & Kentucky. And Papal Vicar of the Churches of Virginia.
His Grace Bishop Peter was ordinated over the new Diocese of North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky on June 12th, 2016
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II presented the Biography of His Grace Bishop Peter, the Bishop over the Diocese of North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky in the USA
In his speech on the eve of the ordination of the new bishops, His Holiness Pope Tawadros presented the biography of the Monk Moses Ava Moussa, the candidate for the Diocese of the North and South Carolina Parish, a new diocese in the United States.
is Holiness said: Monk Moses Ava Moussa is from St. Mary and St. Moses Abbey in Texas. He is the first candidate from this Abbey. It is a great blessing that he is a Dispora nominee. This is in accordance with the vision developed by the departed His Holiness Pope Shenouda.
He was born in 1974 and has a bachelor's degree from New Jersey. He worked at several companies. In 2005, he joined the Abbey of the Virgin and Anba Moussa in Texas under the patronage of His Grace Bishop Yusuf and was then appointed to the priesthood. He was awarded the rank of Qmos in February 2016. He worked at the Abbey as Administrative Director. He then worked for seven years as an Associate Director of the Abbey and was responsible for the Abbey's library. He was the first monk to join this Abbey. He served at the Church of Pope Cyril VI in Tennessee. His father, Deacon Yohanna Ibrahim is dedicated to the Church of St. George and St. Shenouda in Jersey City, New Jersey and was serving at the Churchs of St. Mary in Materia and St. Mary in El Zeiton before traveling abroad.
Bishop Peter was nominated by some of the Fathers of the Church to be the bishop of this fourth Coptic Diocese.
FR.ANGELOS BISHARA
Priest of Archangel Raphael and Saint John the Beloved Coptic Orthodox Church Chapel hill, NC
Father Angelos Bishara was born in Egypt in 1964.
He graduated in 1987 from Cairo university school of medicine.
Immigrated to USA 1992.
Worked as an internist from 1992-2001.
He was ordained on 1/20/2001 and has served in St Mark's Boston 2001 - 2012.