HIS GRACE BISHOP SERAPION

Bishop of Los Angeles, Southern California and Hawaii

His Grace Bishop Serapion was born in Assiut on November 10, 1951.  Following his graduation from the Faculty of Medicine at Assiut in 1975, His Grace had practiced medicine in Aswan until he entered St. Pishoy’s Monastery on April 8, 1979. 

His Grace was ordained monk on August 6, 1979, and was ordained priest on July 18, 1981.  Thereafter, on December 23, 1982, His Grace was assigned to serve the Coptic congregation in Zurich, Lusanne, and Geneva, Switzerland. 

On June 2, 1985, His Grace was ordained Bishop for General and Social Services.  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 founded and employed large numbers workers.  Serving the Coptic families extended to rural areas and small villages where spiritual guidance, medical services, housing, and financial assistance were offered.

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

On November 14, 1995 at St. Mark’s Cathedral at Anba Rowiss Abbassia, Egypt, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, consecrated His Grace Bishop Serapion to be Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles.

 Source
www.lacopts.org