Christianity in Houston

===Coptics===
{{see also|Coptic American|Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States}}
[[File:StMarkCopticOrthodoxChurchBellaireTX0.JPG|thumb|St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, [[Bellaire, Texas|Bellaire]]]]

Houston is within the [[Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States]].

As of 2004, there were three [[Coptic Orthodox]] churches in Houston: St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church<!--It isn't named by the source, but the Coptic Church in Bellaire *is* St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church--> in [[Bellaire, Texas|Bellaire]], the St. Mary and Archangel Michael Church in northwest [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]], and the Archangel Raphael Coptic Orthodox Church in [[Clear Lake City]]. The St. Mary and Archangel Michael church began church services on July 25, 2004, had 200 families in August of that year, and had a cost of $2.5 million.<ref name=Varanewhome>Vara, Richard. "[http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/New-home-is-miracle-for-Coptic-Christians-1523955.php New home is 'miracle' for Coptic Christians]" (). ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. August 21, 2004. Retrieved on May 3, 2014.</ref> The St. Mary and Archangel Michael church is the largest Copt church in the Houston area.<ref name=KatzGregory>Katz, Gregory. "[http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Egyptian-Coptic-Christians-find-bright-future-in-1549976.php Egyptian Coptic Christians find bright future in Houston]" (). ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. December 6, 2006. Retrieved on May 3, 2014.</ref>

In the late 1960s there were far fewer Coptic families. Every month, a priest from [[Los Angeles]] flew to Houston and started a mass in a borrowed Orthodox church or in a private house.<ref name=Varanewhome/> From 1968 to 2006 over 600 Copt families moved to Houston. Due to [[Persecution of Copts|sectarian strife against Copts within Egypt]], by 2006 the membership of Copt churches in Houston was growing.<ref name=KatzGregory/>

In 2006 Gregory Katz of the ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'' stated that partly because many Copt church leaders are accustomed to anti-Copt attitudes in Egypt, those who come to Houston are not accustomed to speaking freely about their religious beliefs and therefore "do not mingle easily with the rest of the large Christian community in the Houston area".<ref name=KatzGregory/>

After the [[2011 Alexandria bombing]], Houston Coptic churches cancelled their [[Coptic Christmas#Date of Christmas|Coptic Christmas]] services.<ref>Shellnutt, Kate. "[http://blog.chron.com/believeitornot/2011/01/coptic-christians-in-houston-cancel-christmas-services/ Coptic Christians in Houston cancel Christmas services]" (). ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. January 6, 2011. Retrieved on May 25, 2014.</ref>