About Us
St. Mary and St. Verena serves as a welcoming spiritual home for Coptic Orthodox families in the area. With the blessing of H.E. Metropolitan Serapion, the church received approval in 2025 for a new Master Plan that includes an expanded educational building for St. Luke Academy, which will serve students from preschool through eighth grade, and a new church building to accommodate the growing congregation. The parish is active in community outreach, charitable service, and education, hosting programs such as St. Luke Academy, feeding the homeless, and welcoming neighbors to annual events like the St. Verena Festival. Through the guidance of its clergy and the dedication of its servants, the church continues to grow in faith, service, and love.
Our Clergy
Father
Joseph Boules
Father Joseph Wahba Boules was born in October 1964.
He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from California Polytechnic University at Pomona. He served as a Deacon and Sunday School Teacher at Saint George Church in Bellflower, California, from 1981 to 1997.
His Grace Bishop Serapion ordained him a presbyter on June 22, 1997.
On Sunday, May 22, 2016, he was elevated to the priestly dignity of Hegumen by His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion.
Deacon
Samuel Ibrahim
Deacon Samuel was born in November 1950. He is a retired Chemist/Business Owner. On Monday, April 22, 2024, His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion, accompanied by His Grace Bishop Abraham and His Grace Bishop Kyrillos, laid hands on and ordained Deacon Samuel Ibrahim for the Christ-loving Diocese of Los Angeles to serve at St. Mary and St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church in Yorba Linda, California. The ordination took place at St. Mary and St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church.
St Verena's Story
Who is Saint Verena?
Saint Verena was a righteous and pure virgin from Thebes in Egypt, and a relative of the holy martyrs of the Theban Legion. When the legion was sent to Switzerland, she accompanied them, living a life of fasting, prayer, and quiet service. After the martyrdom of the legion, she remained in the region, dwelling in a small cave and dedicating herself to acts of mercy. She tended to the poor, the sick, and the neglected, teaching them cleanliness and modesty and caring for their needs with motherly compassion. God granted her the gift of healing and many miracles were performed through her prayers. Saint Verena departed in peace, and her relics became a source of blessing for all who seek her intercessions to this day.