St. Stephen is a parish of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, today a Metropolis shepherded by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef, with His Grace Bishop Gregory serving as a general bishop under his auspices. According to the diocese, more than 100 priests serve over 70 churches and more than 30 Coptic communities across eleven southern states.
It was the first Coptic Orthodox diocese established in the United States. During the era of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the 116th successor of St. Mark the Evangelist, the number of Coptic churches abroad grew remarkably, and His Holiness saw the need for dioceses to serve them. In 1993 he established the Diocese of the Southern United States and appointed His Grace Bishop Youssef to oversee it. In 2022, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II elevated His Eminence to Metropolitan.
The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States is composed of the following states:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Tennessee
- Texas
As the Diocese has grown throughout the years by the grace of God, the states are grouped into 3 regions:
Western Region:
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Texas
Central Region:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Tennessee
Florida Region:
- Florida
To learn more, visit the diocese’s website at suscopts.org (opens in a new tab).