'''Bishop Karas''' (born '''Sorial Ayad Sorial''') was the first [[bishop]] of the [[Coptic Orthodox Church]] in the United States and the first [[abbot]] of the church's first [[monastery]] outside of [[Egypt]].

In 1998, Bishop Karas was diagnosed with lung cancer and was given nine months to live. The bishop continued to celebrate the [[Divine Liturgy]], followed the regular [[fasting|fast]] schedule and lived a strict ascetic life. He met daily with visitors, even though he was receiving a chemotherapy treatment. On [[January 10]], 2002, Bishop Karas suffered a stroke and fell into a coma; he died in the early morning of [[January 17]], the day before what would have been his 47th birthday.

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