Our Leadership
Biography of our beloved Father
His Eminence Metropolitan
Bishop Serapion
His Eminence Metropolitan Bishop Serapion is the first hierarch and bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii.
He was ordained as a priest on July 18th, 1981 at El-Sourian Monastery. H.H. Pope Shenouda III then sent him to serve the Coptic community in Switzerland December 1983 to June 1985. On June 2, 1985, he was ordained as a bishop for the Bishopric of Public, Ecumenical, and Social Services at St. Mark Cathedral in Cairo.
Ten years later, on November 14th, 1995, His Grace was called to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and Southern California, and was later enthroned as the Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles on December 23, 1995 at Holy Virgin Mary Church in Los Angeles.
Bishop Serapion was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan on Sunday February 28, 2016 by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and the Holy Synod at St. Mark Cathedral (Old Patriarchate) in Clot Bey Cairo, Egypt.
He is on the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches of Christ and the Steering Committee of Christian Churches Together in the USA. For many years he served on the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches and the Life and Service Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches, and as Vice President of the All Africa Conference of Churches.
Biography of our beloved Father
His Reverence Father Anastasi Saint Antony
Father Anastasi Saint Antony joined Saint Antony Monastery in Newberry Springs, CA in November 1997. He became a monk on May 5, 2001 and was ordained a priest on November 28, 2003, at which point he began serving as a parish priest of Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Honolulu, HI. In April 2006, Father Anastasi was elevated to Hegumen by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III and left Honolulu to serve as the Papal delegate and steward of Saint Antony Monastery. Under the auspices of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Saint Antony Monastery has become part of the Coptic Orthodox Church Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii. Father Anastasi has therefore returned to his service in the Diocese with a special focus on The Hawaiian Mission while remaining close to the Monastery.
At the present time and under the guidance of His Eminence Metropolitan Bishop Serapion, Father Anastasi is leading The Hawaiian Mission while keeping several responsibilities at the Diocese and the Monastery.
