Our Church

St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church began as a community which was founded in 1988 by a small group of devout Coptic Orthodox families in Chattanooga, TN who longed to worship and celebrate the divine mysteries of the Church of their homeland. At the time, the community consisted of only about ten families. By God’s providence, a visiting priest passing through from Canada prayed the first Vespers service in the home of one of these families, marking the humble beginning of Coptic Orthodox worship in the area.

Soon after, through collaboration and generosity, the community was welcomed to worship at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, where services were held once a month, primarily on Saturdays. Because the community did not yet have a resident priest, clergy from established Coptic churches in surrounding states—including Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida—traveled to serve the congregation.

The church was formally established under the auspices of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States ,overseen by H.G. Bishop Youseff. As the congregation slowly grew, so did its spiritual needs. Over time, the number of families increased, and the bishop graciously expanded services to twice a month. Fathers Serapion Ghobrial and Youanes Seraphim faithfully traveled from Nashville to serve Vespers and Divine Liturgy, returning afterward to their home parishes to fulfill Sunday obligations.