In the [[Oriental Orthodox|Non-Chalcedonian]] [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox Church]], the Apostle Mark is perhaps the most beloved of all saints, being the founder of the see of Alexandria in the first century. Many of their churches are named for him, and on the 30th of Babah (Coptic calendar), the Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates the commemoration of the consecration of the church of the pure St. Mark the Evangelist, the founder of the church in Egypt, and the appearance of his holy head in the city of Alexandria.

[[Image:PopeKyrillosVIreceivingStMarkRelics1968.jpg|thumb|A historical event: Pope Kyrillos VI receiving the relics of St. Mark in Cairo airport.]] On the 17th of Baounah (Coptic month), of the year 1684 A.M. (Coptic calendar), that coincided with Monday, [[June 24]], 1968 A.D., and in the tenth year of the papacy of [[Cyril VI (Atta) of Alexandria|Pope Kyrillos the Sixth]], 116th Pope of Alexandria, the relics of the great saint, the beholder of God, St. Mark the Apostle, the Evangelist of the Egyptian land and the first Patriarch of Alexandria, were returned to Egypt. After eleven centuries outside Egypt, St. Mark's body has at last returned to the same country (Cairo, Egypt) where he was martyred, and where [http://www.st-marc.com/English/history.htm his head] is preserved to this day in the city of Alexandria, Egypt. Pope Kyrillos had delegated an official delegation to travel to Rome to receive the relics of St. Mark the Apostle from Pope Paul VI. The papal delegation consisted of ten metropolitans and bishops, seven of them were Coptic and three Ethiopians, and three of the prominent Coptic lay leaders. The Alexandrian delegation received the relics of St. Mark the Apostle on Saturday the 22nd of June, 1968 A.D. from Pope Paul VI. The moment of handing over the holy relics, after eleven centuries, during which the body of St. Mark was kept in the city of Venice, in Italy, was a solemn and joyful moment.

The next day, Sunday 16th of Baounah ([[June 23]]), the Alexandrian papal delegation celebrated a festive pontifical liturgy in the church of St. Athanasius the Apostolic in Rome. The ten metropolitans, bishops, and the priests accompanying the delegation, all served in the liturgy. Members of the Roman papal delegation, the Copts who accompanied the delegation, and those who lived in Rome, newspaper and news agency reporters, and many foreign dignitaries attended the liturgy.

On the 18th of Baounah (Coptic month), of the year 1684 A.M. (Coptic calendar), that coincided with Tuesday the [[June 25]], 1968 A.D., and in the tenth year of the papacy of Pope Kyrillos the Sixth, 116th Pope of Alexandria, the Coptic church celebrates the inauguration of the new St. Mark Cathedral in Dair El-Anba Rowais, which was known also as Dair El-Khandaq.