On the morning of Saturday, July 4th, the city of Brispeir in Texas, USA, celebrated the groundbreaking of the new St. Mark’s Church. The event was blessed by His Grace Bishop Youssef, the Metropolitan of Texas, Florida, and the Southern United States. The ceremony was attended by Bishop Gregory, the general bishop of the diocese, as well as the church’s priest, Father Bimen Ayad, and a number of priests from the Coptic Church in Texas.

During the ceremony, a wooden box containing a copy of the Bible, a cross, some local newspapers published that same day, and current currencies was placed in the ground. This took place amidst the joy of the congregation, deacons, and church servants, following the Divine Liturgy held at the old church adjacent to the land where the new church will be built. The Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Grace Bishop Youssef, during which several new deacons were ordained.