Norristown, PA – On Saturday, October 24, 2026, His Grace Bishop Karas – Member of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCh) and Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia – hosted the annual Philadelphia Regional Oriental Orthodox Concelebrated Liturgy at St. George Coptic Orthodox Coptic Orthodox Church of Greater Philadelphia.
His Grace was joined at the altar by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Silvanos Ayub of the Knanaya Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church and His Grace Bishop Sinoda of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church Diocese of North America. Also participating with the Bishops in the prayers were:
– Fr. Roufail Youssef and Fr. Mina Shaheid of the hosting parish, St. George Coptic Orthodox Church of Greater Philadelphia
– Fr. Armash Bagadasarian of St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church, representing His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church
– Chorepiscopose Phillopose Daniel Paitel of St. Peter’s Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, representing His Eminence Archbishop Mor Titus Yeldho of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church
– Megabe Haimanot Fr. Walelign Chane and Fr. Kassahun Selassie of Debre Ganet Kidus Amanuel Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, representing His Eminence Archbishop Petros of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Archdiocese of New York & Its Surroundings
– Fr. Anil Thomas Konnackal and Fr. Abraham Thomas of St. Mary’s Knanaya-Syriac Orthodox Church
– Fr. Mina Mina of St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church
– Fr. Abanoub el Anba Yohannes, a monastic priest visiting from Egypt
along with dozens of deacons and hundreds of faithful from the Coptic, Syriac, Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Armenian Orthodox traditions.
The Liturgy was prayed in the Coptic Rite, and featured hymns and chanting from the Ethiopic, Armenian, and Syriac traditions. His Eminence Mor Silvanos gave the spiritual homily, reflecting upon the meeting of Nicodemus with Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ and the ramifications of this meeting for all of humanity.
After the Liturgy, the faithful adjourned to the church hall, where they were treated to a sumptuous meal. There, His Grace Bishop Karas offered a reflection upon the day, and upon the importance of our unity as Orthodox Christians. His Grace also thanked the organizers of the day’s events, including the clergy and members of the hosting parish, and Archdeacon Gebre Kristos Nicholas Siniari, Secretary of SCOOCh, before presenting the visiting Hierarchs and Fathers with gifts.
The Standing Conference looks forward to its next Concelebration of the Divine Liturgy, hosted on November 7, 2026 by His Eminence Mor Dionysios John Kawak of the Eastern Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church at Mor Gabriel Syriac Orthodox Church in Haworth, NJ. See flyer for details.