Archangel Raphael is a member church in the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III was the 116 Successor of St. Mark the Evangelist, and his era is marked by a remarkable growth in the number of Coptic churches abroad. To address the needs of these churches, His Holiness felt the urgency to establish dioceses abroad. Thus the first Coptic Orthodox Diocese to be established in the United States is the Diocese of the Southern United States in 1993. H.H. Pope Shenouda III appointed His Grace Bishop Youssef to oversee this Diocese.
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
More information about the diocese can be found at www.suscopts.org.
