ABOUT US

The Coptic Church is the Egyptian Church, Copt and aygipt are the same word. The Coptic Church began its history as established by St. Mark the Evangelist in the first century of Christianity. It is now more than nineteen centuries old. We notice that In the Old Testament we have a prophesy concerning the Coptic Church. As it is written in the Book of Isaiah the prophet, Chapter 19, “There will be an altar in the midst of Egypt.” Why did our Lord choose Egypt for His altar? That is something special. Egypt was a land of civilization and great history. Its civilization began more than 3,000 years before Christ. The Bible references key people who visited Egypt, enriching its civilization. Some of these key figures are: 1) Moses, the prophet, who was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. 2) Abraham, the father of fathers; 3) Jacob; 4) Joseph, Jacob’s son; 5) the twelve tribes of Israel; 6) Jeremiah, and others. The crowning point of the sojourns was the visit of the 7) Holy Family at the beginning of Christianity during the childhood of our Lord. Egypt was blessed by the visit of our Lord, and it was the only country in the world, except for His birthland, that our Lord visited. Many miracles took place there during the visit of the Holy Family, and many places were blessed. Many churches have been built in the places where the Holy Family lived.

“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:28 (NKJV)

The church of Christ is often compared to a flock. The word “flock” here refers particularly to the church and not to the congregation in general, for it is represented to be what was purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. Our responsibility as servants of God are to 1) take heed to the church, that is, to instruct, teach, and guide it; to guard it from enemies; 2) to take heed to all the flock, the rich and the poor, the bond and the free, the old and the young. It is the duty of the servants to seek to promote the spiritual being of each individual of their charge, not to pass by the poor because they are poor, and not to be afraid of the rich because they are rich, but to serve through the Holy Spirit.

The North America Coptic League (NA Coptic League), formerly known as the Coptic Orthodox Youth Basketball League (COYBL), was founded in 2004 by the late Hegumen Fr. Wissa Bessada and Paul Bessada (now Fr. Yostos Bessada). Fr. Wissa was instrumental in establishing the Archangel Michael & St. Mena Coptic Orthodox Church in Staten Island, New York. Born on January 17, 1939, in Qina, Egypt, he graduated from Cairo University in 1959 and the Coptic Seminary College in 1965. He was ordained a priest by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on July 23, 1976, initially serving at St. Mark's Church in El Abbasaya, Egypt. In 1979, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, before beginning his service in Staten Island in 1980, where he devoted over three decades to his parish until his passing on April 28, 2013. 

Under Fr. Wissa's and Paul's leadership, the NA Coptic League started with just five teams in a single state—New York. Over the years, it has expanded significantly and, as of 2025, now includes 21 churches across three states: New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The league has grown to feature over 70 teams competing in divisions such as Junior High School Boys Division, High School New York Division, High School New Jersey Division, College Boys Division, Girls Division, and Men’s Division. It now involves more than 2,000 players, coaches, servants, and coordinators, utilizing over 10 courts for its activities. 

Today, the league is led by Fr. Yostos Bessada, who serves at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Astoria, New York. Ordained as a general priest on July 30, 2022, and placed to serve at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Astoria, New York permanently, Fr. Yostos has been actively serving the Astoria community since then. Alongside him, Mr. Mark Megalla plays a key role in overseeing the league’s administration, ensuring its continued growth and success. 

The NA Coptic League remains dedicated to fostering fellowship, promoting physical well-being, and strengthening community bonds within the Coptic Orthodox Christian community through organized sports and related activities.