The suicide bombings of two Coptic Christian churches in Egypt on Palm Sunday this year hit home in the Twin Cities, where hundreds of congregates fill the pews for services at two area churches to recite prayers, sing hymns and listen to the gospel in an alternating blend of English, Arabic and Coptic — the language of ancient Egyptians.
Though the small group of Christians is relatively unknown in the Twin Cities, its numbers are rising, with about 10 new families arriving yearly and 270 families in all. To accommodate the growth, leaders at St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church in South St. Paul are planning a $1 million addition to the gym so their kids have a safe place to play sports and hang out with friends. And in September, they opened the metro area's second place of worship, St. George's Coptic Orthodox Church in Plymouth.
"I think [the growth] is awesome," said Maryan Saad, 34, who sits on St. Mary's board and has attended the church for 23 years. "Honestly, I never really thought that Minnesota would have more than one [Coptic] church."
The newcomers arrive mostly from Egypt, emigrating to escape religious persecution. Others hail from established communities in states such as California or New Jersey to attend college or graduate school here, or for job opportunities, often in the medical or engineering fields.
Christianity was brought to Alexandria by Saint Mark in the first century. Coptic Christians descend from ancient Egyptians called Copts and make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population. Like other Christian Orthodox faiths, they have many shared beliefs with Roman Catholics, from the holy trinity to the Ten Commandments, and celebrate sacraments like baptism and communion. The Coptic church broke with the west after a schism in the fifth century.
Coptic Christians made global headlines in April after the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria claimed responsibility for bombing two Egyptian churches, killing about 50 people and injuring more than 100.
Such violence is part of the group's history, said the Rev. Jacob Zaki, a priest at St. Mary's.
"It's been there since day one and it will continue," Zaki said of the persecution. "The positive part of it is, it strengthens the faith of the church."