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St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church, London: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 51°29′50″N 0°11′40″W / 51.49722°N 0.19444°W / 51.49722; -0.19444
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===Construction (1862-1863)===
===Construction (1862-1863)===


The construction of the church building originated in a suggestion made by the minister of the Regent Square church to the Reverend Gavin Carlyle, a nephew of [[Edward Irving]], that Caryle should travel from Edinburgh to preach in London.<ref>''St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Kensington 1862–1962'', n.d., p. 7: ''St. John’s Presbyterian Church (United Reformed) The Last Years 1962–1975'', n.d., pp. 13–14.</ref>
The construction of the church building originated in a suggestion made by the minister of the Regent Square church to the Reverend Gavin Carlyle, a nephew of [[Edward Irving]], that Carlyle should travel from Edinburgh to preach in London.<ref>''St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Kensington 1862–1962'', n.d., p. 7: ''St. John’s Presbyterian Church (United Reformed) The Last Years 1962–1975'', n.d., pp. 13–14.</ref>

Tenders for the building of the church were accepted in July 1862, and in December the trustees accepted a 99-year lease at the site at the south-west corner of Scarsdale Villas and Allen Street.<ref>''St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Kensington 1862–1962'', n.d., p. 7: ''B.N''. 11 July 1862, p. 37; 18 July 1862, p. 58.</ref>


===As a Scottish Presbyterian church (1863-1975)===
===As a Scottish Presbyterian church (1863-1975)===

Revision as of 15:22, 31 December 2017

St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church
St Mark's from opposite the adjacent roundabout
Map
51°29′50″N 0°11′40″W / 51.49722°N 0.19444°W / 51.49722; -0.19444
LocationKensington, London
Country United Kingdom
DenominationCoptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
Websitestmark.org.uk
History
Dedicated1863 (as Presbyterian church);
1979 (as Coptic Orthodox church)
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Completed1863 (1863)
Administration
DioceseCoptic Orthodox Diocese of London
Clergy
Bishop(s)Anba Angaelos

St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church is a church in Kensington, London. The building was previously known as St John's Presbyterian Church and was opened in 1863.[1]

History

Construction (1862-1863)

The construction of the church building originated in a suggestion made by the minister of the Regent Square church to the Reverend Gavin Carlyle, a nephew of Edward Irving, that Carlyle should travel from Edinburgh to preach in London.[2]

Tenders for the building of the church were accepted in July 1862, and in December the trustees accepted a 99-year lease at the site at the south-west corner of Scarsdale Villas and Allen Street.[3]

As a Scottish Presbyterian church (1863-1975)

The last service of the Presbyterian church was held in October 1975. The congregation joined the former Congregational Kensington Chapel further up Allen Street, within the Kensington United Reformed Church.[4]

As a Coptic Orthodox church (1975-present)

The nave of the church

In 1975 St John's was sold to the Coptic Orthodox Church and has been home to the congregation of St Mark's ever since. The church was consecrated by Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria in 1979, [5] as the first Coptic church in Europe.[6]

Description

Iconography

St Mark's was the first church outside of Egypt to display Neo-Coptic iconography. There are two stained glass windows, and a cycle of narrative icons, including a very large icon depicting the martyrdom of Saint Mark.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Our History (Pre-1975) - St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church, London". stmark.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  2. ^ St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Kensington 1862–1962, n.d., p. 7: St. John’s Presbyterian Church (United Reformed) The Last Years 1962–1975, n.d., pp. 13–14.
  3. ^ St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Kensington 1862–1962, n.d., p. 7: B.N. 11 July 1862, p. 37; 18 July 1862, p. 58.
  4. ^ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol42/pp386-394#p30
  5. ^ "Our History (Post-1975) - St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church, London". stmark.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  6. ^ Russell, Gerard (2014). Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 1471114724.
  7. ^ Gabra, Gadwat (2014). Coptic Civilization. The American University in Cairo Press. ISBN 9774166558.

External links