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Stay informed, sign up to our newsletterFirst news of the demolition on 26 October 2015 – this is the sad news that birthed Australian Coptic Heritage and Community Services
First news of the demolition on 26 October 2015. This is the article that caused a Coptic outcry with the sad news of the destruction of the Coptic cultural, social and spiritual birthplace in Australia. This is the news that broke our hearts and precipitated the...
read moreMarrickville Council puts gutter above Coptic Church
With the approved demolition of the Coptic Church at Sydenham imminent, Australian Coptic Heritage and Community Services Director, Jacqueline Elassal, and former Marrickville Councillor, Peter Olive, are questioning Marrickville Council’s Heritage priorities. Former...
read moreSydenham – The Coptic Suburb
Speaking at the launch of the silver Jubilee celebrations of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia in 1993, Mr Andrew Refshauge MP and the then Deputy Leader of the Australian Labour Party in NSW, and Member of the State seat of Marrickville, declared that the...
read moreStatement from Craig Kelly
At the prayer vigil Craig Kelly said he would raise the issue of the St Mary & St Mina church at Sydenham with the prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and supports ACHCS in stopping the demolition by council. We thank Craig for his continued...
read moreLetter from The National Trust to Marrickville Council
11 December 2015 Mr Brian Barrett General Manager Marrickville Council PO Box 14 PETERSHAM NSW 2049 council@marrickville.nsw.gov.au Dear Mr Barrett, St Mary and St Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, 24A Railway Road, Sydenham The National Trust writes with deep concern at...
read moreInterim Injunction Order Raised in Supreme Court of NSW
Australian Coptic Heritage & Community Services (ACHCS) would like to provide an update regarding our movements over the past week, post Prayer Vigil event last Sunday. On 7 December 2015 at 11:30am ACHCS attended a meeting with Marrickville Council. In attendance...
read moreAustralia Coptic Heritage & Community Services (ACHCS) holds Vigil outside St Mary and St Mina’s Coptic Church building at Sydenham
ACHCS held the event on Sunday 6 December 2015, from 4pm to 7.30pm. Approximately 300 people were in attendance. Attendees included; HG Bishop Daniel, clergy, parliamentarians, Coptic community and members of the local Marrickville Council and community. The event...
read moreCoptic Heritage group invites all to attend Vigil at Coptic Church in Sydenham
Marrickville City Council has moved to demolish the first Coptic Church in Australia and the first purchased by the Coptic Orthodox church outside of Egypt. The Australian Coptic Heritage & Community Service group is holding a vigil this Sunday evening outside the...
read moreInstructions from H.H. Pope Shenouda
Below you will find a letter written by H.H. Pope Shenouda addressed to the Coptic Church and her children in Australia imploring us to not forget the blessings, holiness and memories contained within our precious and lonely St Mary's Church in Sydenham. This letter...
read moreDeputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas and Mr Edmond Atalla MP have pledged their support
Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas and Mr Edmond Atalla MP have pledged their support for preserving our historic church at Sydenham. We look forward to welcoming them and other leaders at our vigil on 6 December. Join us in a Prayer Vigil at 4PM on Sunday 6 December...
read moreAttend our Prayer Vigil, Save St Mary’s Church Building Sydenham from Demolition
The first Coptic Church in Australia and the first purchased by the Coptic Orthodox church outside of Egypt, St Mary and St Mina's Sydenham is due for demolition next month. Join us in a Prayer Vigil at 4PM on Sunday 6 December 2015 at St Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church...
read moreAre we being greedy?
Q. The Coptic Church already got compensated by being given the location and school in Bexley NSW. So sent we being greedy for asking for the church back? Answer: No we are not at all greedy. Facts: 1. This church has been consecrated with over 30 years of prayers of...
read moreWe’re filming a documentary
ACHACS will be filming for our documentary, as we did last Sunday at St Mary's, Sydenham. We are looking for anybody, young or older who have strong links with St Mary's Church at Sydenham, or simply those who feel in their heart that this sacred place of ours should...
read moreFred Nile Offers His Support
On Monday night, Australian Coptic Heritage and Community Services met with the Reverend Fred Nile and his wife Silvana Nero, to discuss the imminent demolition (by Marrickville Council) of the Heritage listed, first Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia and the wider...
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