Section 454. Government of Incorporated Coptic Orthodox Churches  


Latest version.
  • The bishop
      of  the  Coptic  Orthodox  Diocese  in  which the place of worship of an
      incorporated Coptic Orthodox Church is located  and  his  successors  in
      office  shall,  by  virtue of his office, be a trustee of such a church.
      Two or more persons selected by the bishop from among  the  priests  and
      deacons  of  such  a  church in the manner provided from time to time by
      rules and regulations of the  Coptic  Orthodox  Church  adopted  by  the
      Synodical Committee for the Coptic Churches in Immigration shall also be
      trustees  of  such  incorporated  church,  and the bishop and other such
      persons shall together constitute the board  of  trustees  thereof.  The
      bishop  and other persons signing the certificate of incorporation shall
      be the trustees of such a church for  the  first  year  or  until  their
      successors  are  selected  according to the rules, statutes, regulations
      and usages of the  Coptic  Orthodox  Church  adopted  by  the  Synodical
      Committee  for the Coptic Churches in Immigration. The trustees of every
      Coptic Orthodox Church  shall  have  the  custody  and  control  of  all
      temporalities  and  property,  real  and  personal,  belonging to such a
      church and of the revenues therefrom and shall administer  the  same  in
      accordance  with  the  rules,  statutes,  regulations  and usages of the
      Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria adopted by Synodical Committee  for
      the  Coptic  Churches  in Immigration, provided, however, that no act or
      proceeding of the trustees of any  such  incorporated  church  shall  be
      valid  without  the  approval of the bishop of said diocese in which the
      place of worship of such a church is located, or in case of his  absence
      or inability to act, without the approval of the vicar of such diocese.