 Pope Shenouda III visited the congregation three times before its consecration on April 14, 1977, second on April 20, 1989 and on March 12, 1992.Pope Shenouda eventually consecrated the church on Sunday, September 6, 1998.There are currently over 600 Coptic families served by St. George's Church alone with several others belonging to other Coptic Orthodox congregations throughout New York.