Save our First ever Coptic Orthodox Church In Australia

We, the congregation of the Coptic Orthodox Church, not Just in Sydney, but all around the world, entreat you to put a stop to the plan to demolish this Coptic Orthodox Church for the following reasons:

1. The Coptic Orthodox Church at Sydenham was the first Coptic Orthodox Church outside of Egypt and it was the place of worship of the first Coptic migrants who arrived to Australia by sea between 1967-1968

2. The Coptic Orthodox Church at Sydenham is the Mother to all the Coptic Orthodox Churches outside of Egypt, not only in Australia, but also America, Canada, Asia and Africa – with the exception of Sudan

3. The Coptic Orthodox Church at Sydenham represents the history and presence of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia

4. The Coptic Orthodox Church at Sydenham represents the history and memory of the Egyptian congregation as they recall that the Lord Christ visited Egypt 2015 years ago as He fled from the persecution of a ruler who was trying to kill Him

5. The Coptic Orthodox Church at Sydenham was the place of baptism and marriage of many Coptic Christians who are still alive this day, and also many funerals were carried out in this Church. Those who used to pray in this Church are now grandparents who pass on the history to their children and their children’s children, and if the demolition were to occur during your time as Premier it would be a cause of great sorrow for four generations of Copts and they would not forget this incident – the demolition of their Church, which has been a cause of blessing in Australia – and as the years pass they will always ask who was the leader of Australia when this demolition was allowed to take place. And the next generation of Copts will ask why this hurtful demolition occurred, the demolition of their Church

6. The Coptic Orthodox Church at Sydenham was visited by the thrice-blessed His Holiness Pope Shenouda III and many Bishops and was blessed by their prayers, and the demolition of this Church would dampen all the great events recorded by the history books of this great Patriarch, Pope Shenouda III, in Sydney

7. The Coptic Orthodox congregation in Sydney has many great engineers who are experienced in every aspect of engineering, and there are engineering practises in Australia which deal with all situations and there are specialised engineers who can organise repairs to prevent the aircraft noise from affecting the roof of the Church, and the world is making such huge progress these days so rapidly that there are methods to sound proof and other engineering techniques which can address the issue in a significant way

8. Most importantly out of all the history of this Church is that it is the mother of all the Churches in Australia, which now contains the Diocese of Melbourne and the Diocese of Sydney, as well as a monastery for monks, and three Bishops, and all of the Churches of Australia and even the monastery were born from this mother Church.

Yours Faithfully,

The Congregation of the Coptic Orthodox Church