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St. Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates $390K grant

By Staff | Dec 8, 2017

CONCORD – St. Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Nashua was awarded on Monday a $390,000 grant towards the restoration of its building.

During the event held at the Legislative Office Building in Concord, the church learned it received the largest of the 42 New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program grants that were distributed statewide. The LCHIP Program is an independent state authority that provides matching grants to New Hampshire communities and non-profits to protect and preserve the state’s most important natural, cultural and historic resources.

Governor Chris Sununu and Dijit Taylor, executive director of the state’s LCHIP program, were attendance as well as Nashua’s Downtown Specialist James Vayo, who helped raise awareness of the church’s needs.

Formerly the home of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the historic building has significant structural needs, and was selected in 2016 as one of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance’s “Seven to Save.”

The church’s priest, Fr. Kyrillos Gobran, said the LCHIP grant will go a long way towards helping it complete the needed renovations.

“We are very appreciative of LCHIP’s recognition and investment in this truly unique church in the city of Nashua,” Kryillos said. “We look forward to continuing to partner with them to see this project to completion.”

Vayo said he’s excited to see a downtown Nashua landmark receive support.

“St. Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church is an important resource to the French Hill community in Nashua, and this grant brings it closer to its renovation goals,” Vayo said.

Originally constructed 1896 to serve the Franco-American Catholic community, the church closed in 2003 until the Coptic Orthodox Church purchased it in 2009. The church now serves the growing Coptic Orthodox communities in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Northern Massachusetts.

For more information about St. Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church visit stmarycoptsnh.org.

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