Egypt's embattled Copts will choose new leader in December

September 13, 2012

Egypt’s Coptic Church will choose a new leader in December, a spokesman for the Orthodox body has announced.

The Coptic Church has been without a top official since Pope Shenouda III, who had presided as patriarch for almost 40 years, died in March at the age of 88. The election of his successor had originally been scheduled for September, but was postponed. More than 2,000 Coptic leaders will participate in voting for the new patriarch, with the next Coptic pope to be chosen from among the top 3 choices of the voters.

The election comes at a time of great uncertainty for the Copts, who are worried about the mounting hostility of Muslims and the trend toward control of the Egyptian government by Islamic fundamentalists.

 

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Further information:

• Egypt Coptic Church to choose new pope in December (Reuters)
• Egypt's Copts to choose new spiritual leader in September (CWN, 5/2)