Coptic Christian pope in Nashville on first U.S. visit
More than 2,000 Coptic Christians poured into St. Pishoy Coptic Orthodox Church facilities in Antioch Friday night for a chance to see the Pope.
The smell of incense wafted in the air, a group prepared to sing and priests and deacons were seated before images of Christ and the Apostles.
But these Christians were not awaiting a second visit from the Holy See of Rome, but of Alexandria, Egypt.
The leader of the Coptic, or Egyptian, Christian Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros II visited Nashville Friday night and will stay Saturday, marking the first such papal visit since 2000.
His visit comes at a time when Coptic Christians have faced persecution and even death in the Middle East.
Lydia Yousief, a Copt who was born in the United States after her parents moved here from Egypt, said the community has been electrified by Tawadros' decision to come to Nashville.
Yousief, 20, grew up in Franklin and is a student at Vanderbilt University. Her father is a local church leader and her brother is a deacon.
“As a people who are minorities anywhere they go," Yousief said, “this is pretty huge to have your leader come here."
Tawadros is expected to ordain two Coptic priests during his Nashville visit.
Yousief said Tawadros' visit is an endorsement of the church's growing numbers in Middle Tennessee. Thousands of Copts call the Nashville area home today.
Many Christians have fled Egypt in recent years in the face of violent attacks. Christians only account for about 10 percent of the Egyptian population.
Priest Pavli Ebrahim, who leads St. Pishoy, said Tawadros would not only ordain two priests, but also consecrate the church’s newest facilities.
“This is a historic and wonderful blessing,” Ebrahim said. “He is the shepherd of our church, a kind of father figure and this is his first visit to the United States.”
The services started around 7 p.m. Friday. Gifts were presented to Tawadros and a group of young people sang. Tawadros sat before the church and delivered a message. Ebrahim said the service was expected to last several hours, as Tawadros planned to personally meet and bless everyone who came to the church.
Adam Tamburin contributed to this report. Reach Jordan Buie at 615-726-5970 and on Twitter @JordanBuie.