Establishing the church as a congregation:
The foremost presence of the Coptic Orthodox in the Chicago area goes back to the early fifties when protopriest Macari the Syrian (later the late Abba Samuel, archbishop of services) together with the late protopriest Salib Sorial and Dr. Aziz Sorial Attia, came to study.
During their residence, they used to hold the sermons in churches they rented. The late Pope Yousab II sent them a letter of blessing and appreciation for their efforts in introducing the Coptic Church to the American people.
In the early sixties, a few Coptic individuals started to arrive to study, and Fr. Protopriest Marcos Elias used to visit them from Canada from time to time to hold the sacred Mass. In the late sixties the number of Copts increased to about 20 families.
With the beginning of the seventies, the number still in-creased, the Sunday school classes and Bible study became regular, in addition to a monthly math by a visitor priest. In the late seventies and early eighties the number still in-creased and with the beginning of the 21st century the number of Copts in the region went up to about three hundred fifty families.
The Clergy who served in the Church:
Till the early 70’s , the service was done by priests who visited the church for service. In May 1973, H. H. Pope Shenouda III appointed the late Fr. Protopriest Marcos Bishai, who passed away in the Lord on June 1979.
In December 1979, H. H. the Pope appointed Fr. Protopriest Shenouda Anba Bishoy for the service which he carried out till August 16, 1988 when he was moved to serve another church. After that, the service was done by Fr. Protopriest Fr. Basilios Sedrak, the priest of St. Abraham church in St. Louis. On July 7, 1990 H. H. the Pope sent Fr. Protopriest Fr. Samuel Thabet for the service of the church , which he is still carrying it out up till the present time.
The Site of the Church and its building:
Till the late sixties the service was held in different places till an apostolic church was rented in Chicago, namely “Episcopal Church of Atonement” 6500 Kenmore St., Chicago. In November 1973 another church in Oak Park, IL was rented till 1974 when the first church building on Park & Elm streets, Roselle, IL was purchased and modified to be according to the liturgy of our church.
The Present Building:
On the 3rd of June 1979 five acres were purchased in Burr Ridge, IL. Which is one of the best suburbs in the Chicago area. The cornerstone of the church was laid on September 11, 1980 by Gen. Archbishop Roes. The structure of the building started on the 21st of August, 1981 and was completed in January 1983. The first Mass was held in it on Christmas day, January 7, 1983.
The First Visit of H. H. the Pope:
On the 10th of May 1977, H. H. Pope Shenouda III visited the church together with a delegation of the following bishops: The late Abba Samuel, General Archbishop, The late Abba Yoannes (the late Archbishop of Gharbiah), Abba Bakhomios, Bishop of Beheira, Abba Antonios Morcos, General Archbishop for Africa and Abba Tadros, Archbishop of Port Said.
During this visit, masses were held and deacons were ordained. Several celebrations were held together with other churches, meetings with official organizations were held and also with the deans and heads of the colleges. A lecture was given in the Chicago University.
The Second Papal Visit
The church was blessed with this historic occasion in late April 2001. H. H. Pope Shenouda III blessed the Congregation members of all three Church's in the Chicago land area and Consecrated St. Mark's on Sunday April 29, 2001.
May the Lord keep the life of our respectful patriarch, Pope Abba Shenouda III and have the angels be around him wherever he goes. May the peace of the Lord be in His holy church and with the Christians wherever they are and till the ages of all ages, Amen.