Seven years ago, Sandra Ghatas’ family emigrated from Egypt to the United States.

She is one of two daughters: both are smart well-educated girls. But prospects for a college education in Egypt were minimal.

Living in the United States, most Americans have little or no knowledge of the restrictions and limitations placed on peoples’ lives in many other countries. The opportunities for achievement which Americans take for granted as the norm are not universal world-wide.

Sandra works for Christina Ortiz, at the State Farm Insurance office in Mauldin. Like many people, each day she drives her own car to and from work. Being out of the house by herself, driving a car, and working at a job are not possible in many parts of the world – including Egypt.

Would you leave a country like that, if you could? Sandra’s family is “Coptic” – which means Egyptian. If you lived in a country with six thousand years of heritage behind it – for example, Egypt was one of the first places in the world to develop writing – would you leave all that behind? Would you choose instead to live in a foreign place, with its radically different customs and habits?

Sandra’s parents chose to do just that. They put all their hopes and dreams for the future of their family on living in a place they had never seen, and knew of only by hearsay: in the United States, in South Carolina.

However, they would find one important part of their lives was present in Mauldin: a Coptic Orthodox Church. Sandra and her family are Coptic Orthodox. “Coptic Orthodox” simply means the branch of Christianity which was founded in Egypt.

But the Coptic Orthodox Church can say something which no other Church can claim: Jesus founded his first Church in Egypt. The Coptic Orthodox Church was the first Christian Church.

Except for minor breakaway groups, the Orthodox Church included all of the world’s Christians until the Great Schism of 1054, when the Roman Catholic Church broke away from the Orthodox Church. Christianity splintered further during the 1500s, with the Protestant Reformation.

Mauldin is home to the biggest of three Coptic Orthodox Churches in the Upstate. For those accustomed to Catholic or Protestant services, a visit to a Coptic Orthodox service is a fascinating contrast.

At St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, you will see a style of worship with two thousand years of tradition behind it – twice as old as Catholic services, and four times as old as Protestant practices.

Though the Coptic Orthodox Church is the oldest Church, it suffered a devastating blow in 639: Arab Moslems invaded Egypt, and made Islam the country’s predominant religion.

One result of that Arab Moslem invasion is that much of the Coptic Orthodox Church service is spoken in two languages: Arabic and English. Naturally, services are a little longer: services begin at 8:30 a.m. each Sunday, and finish about 11:30 a.m.

The distinctive and beautiful design of Mauldin’s St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church building certainly catches your attention as you drive past it on South Main Street. Should you choose to attend a service, expect a beautiful and welcoming interior – as well as a warm welcome from everyone you meet.

One part of that two-thousand-year tradition is that men sit on the left-side pews, and women sit on the right-side pews; that custom reflects the relative traditional positions of Jesus and Mary.

But if you should make the mistake of not following that custom, worry not; you will still be accepted and warmly greeted by everyone you meet.

If you have any doubts, just ask Sandra for help. She devotes a sizeable portion of her time helping with Church operations. Sandra’s in-depth understanding of the Coptic Orthodox religion, the details of her church’s décor, symbology, and layout, as well as the church’s functions, combined with her willingness to provide friendly help, mean that not only will you never feel out of place, but more: that you are always welcome at Mauldin’s St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church.■