Pope Tawadros II, the new leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian church, has been formally enthroned in Cairo.
Pope Tawadros II was confirmed as the new leader of Egypt’s Christian minority at a ceremony at St Mark’s cathedral in the Egyptian capital.
The 60-year-old succeeds Pope Shenouda III, who died in March after four decades on the patriarchal throne.
The enthronement comes at an uncertain time for Egypt’s Christians, following the fall of Hosni Mubarak last year.
Pope Tawadros II, the new leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian church, has been formally enthroned in Cairo
Sectarian attacks against Coptic Christians and churches in Egypt have increased since his fall, and many Christians are concerned about the rise of Islamist political forces.
Christians make up 5-10% of Egypt’s majority Sunni Muslim population and form the largest Christian minority in the Middle East.
Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Mursi did not attend Sunday’s enthronement, though Prime Minister Hisham Qandil was there.
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Bishop Tawadros has been chosen as the new pope of Egypt’s Coptic Christians, becoming leader of the largest Christian minority in the Middle East.
His name was selected from a glass bowl by a blindfolded boy at a ceremony in Cairo’s St Mark’s Cathedral. Three candidates had been shortlisted.
Bishop Tawadros, 60, succeeds Pope Shenouda III, who died in March aged 88.
He succeeds as attacks on Copts are on the increase, and many say they fear the country’s new Islamist leaders.
The other two candidates were Bishop Raphael and Father Raphael Ava Mina. They were chosen in a ballot by a council of some 2,400 Church and community officials in October.
Bishop Tawadros’ name was selected from a glass bowl by a blindfolded boy at a ceremony in Cairo’s St Mark’s Cathedral
Their names were written on pieces of paper and put in crystal balls sealed with wax on the church altar.
A blindfolded boy – one of 12 shortlisted children – then drew out the name of Bishop Tawadros, who until now was an aide to the acting leader, Bishop Pachomius.
Bishop Pachomius then took the ballot from the boy’s hand and showed it to all those gathered in the cathedral.
Strict measures were in place to make sure there was no foul play during the televised ceremony: the three pieces of paper with candidates’ names were all the same size and tied the same way.
Copts say this process ensures the selection is in God’s hands.
Bishop Tawadros has been chosen as the new pope of Egypt’s Coptic Christians
Bishop Tawadros will be enthroned in a ceremony on 18 November.
The new pope has studied in Britain, and has also run a medicine factory.
He is a man of broad experience and with managerial skills and will need all those talents to lead the Copts as they face an uncertain future in a country now debating the role of Islam following last year’s revolution.
No-one in Egypt expects the new pope to introduce radical changes to the deeply conservative church.
Pope Shenouda died in March. Under his leadership, the Coptic Church expanded significantly, including outside its traditional Egyptian base.
He was a passionate advocate of unity among the Christian churches, and also clashed with then President Anwar Sadat, particularly over their conflicting views on the future of Egypt’s relationship with Israel.
Coptic Christians have long complained of discrimination by the Egyptian state and the country’s Muslim majority.
But when President Hosni Mubarak was ousted last year and succeeded by the Muslim Brotherhood, their fears grew.
In October 2011, 25 people died in clashes with the security forces after a protest march in Cairo over the burning of a church.
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Egypt’s Coptic Christians will learn the name of their new pope on Sunday, when a blindfolded child selects the name of one of three candidates.
Two bishops and a monk are on the shortlist to become the 118th leader of the largest Christian minority in the Middle East, about 8 million strong.
The individual chosen will succeed Pope Shenouda III, who died in March.
Attacks on Copts are on the increase, and many Copts say they are afraid of the governing Muslim Brotherhood party.
Pope Shenouda III, who led the church for four decades, had urged officials to do more to address Copts’ concerns.
The shortlisted candidates are Bishop Raphael, Bishop Tawadros and Father Raphael Ava Mina. They were chosen in a ballot by a council of some 2,400 Church and community officials in October.
Their names will be written on pieces of paper and placed in a box on the altar of St. Mark’s Cathedral in Cairo.
Egypt’s Coptic Christians will learn the name of their new pope on Sunday, when a blindfolded child selects the name of one of three candidates
A blindfolded boy will then be asked to draw out one of the names. Copts say this process ensures the selection is in God’s hands.
The chosen man will be enthroned in a ceremony on 18 November.
No-one in Egypt expects the new pope to introduce any radical changes to the deeply conservative church.
Under Pope Shenouda, the Coptic Church expanded significantly, including outside its traditional Egyptian base.
He was a passionate advocate of unity among the Christian churches, and also clashed with then President Anwar Sadat, particularly over their conflicting views on the future of Egypt’s relationship with Israel.
Coptic Christians have long complained of discrimination by the Egyptian state and the country’s Muslim majority.
But when President Hosni Mubarak was ousted last year and succeeded by the Muslim Brotherhood, their fears grew.
In October 2011, 25 people died in clashes with the security forces after a protest march in Cairo over the burning of a church.
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