N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 454: Government of Incorporated Coptic Orthodox Churches

§ 454. Government of Incorporated Coptic Orthodox Churches. The bishop

of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese in which the place of worship of an

incorporated Coptic Orthodox Church is located and his successors in

office shall, by virtue of his office, be a trustee of such a church.

Two or more persons selected by the bishop from among the priests and

deacons of such a church in the manner provided from time to time by

rules and regulations of the Coptic Orthodox Church adopted by the

Synodical Committee for the Coptic Churches in Immigration shall also be

trustees of such incorporated church, and the bishop and other such

persons shall together constitute the board of trustees thereof. The

bishop and other persons signing the certificate of incorporation shall

be the trustees of such a church for the first year or until their

successors are selected according to the rules, statutes, regulations

and usages of the Coptic Orthodox Church adopted by the Synodical

Committee for the Coptic Churches in Immigration. The trustees of every

Coptic Orthodox Church shall have the custody and control of all

temporalities and property, real and personal, belonging to such a

church and of the revenues therefrom and shall administer the same in

accordance with the rules, statutes, regulations and usages of the

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria adopted by Synodical Committee for

the Coptic Churches in Immigration, provided, however, that no act or

proceeding of the trustees of any such incorporated church shall be

valid without the approval of the bishop of said diocese in which the

place of worship of such a church is located, or in case of his absence

or inability to act, without the approval of the vicar of such diocese.