[4] It is located at the village of Silver Spring, Pennsylvania, a small, unincorporated town that has a relatively large proportion of Christian Orthodox Copts.

The year 1977 marked the first pastoral visit by Pope Shenouda III to the US and Canada, including St. Mark's Church in Jersey City, the first Coptic Orthodox Church in the United States.

[5] Ten years later, in January 1987, the building of St. Mark's Church was newly refitted and consecrated.

[6][7] The current building of St. Mary's Church of Lancaster, as it is often known, was consecrated by a Coptic Orthodox Bishop in September 1982.

Moses Fahmy was ordained a priest (presbyter) by Bishop Karas (the enthroned bishop for the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia) to serve the Coptic community at St. Mary church of Lancaster.