List of Coptic Orthodox Popes of Alexandria

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The following is a list of all of the Coptic Orthodox Popes of Alexandria who have led the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and have succeeded the Apostle Mark the Evangelist in the office of Bishop of Alexandria, who founded the Church in the 1st century, and therefore marked the beginning of Christianity in Africa.

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches (not to be mistaken with the Byzantine Orthodox group of churches) and is presided over by the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria who is the body's spiritual leader. This position is held since 2012 by Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of all Africa on the Holy See of St. Mark.

The Oriental Orthodox believe that they are the "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic" Church of the ancient Christian creeds.

Title "pope"

Historically, the title "pope" was first adopted by Pope Heraclas, the 13th Alexandrine Archbishop (232–249 AD), three centuries before it was assumed by John I, the Roman Bishop (523–526), who ratified the Alexandrian computation of the date of Easter. Bestowing the title on Rome's pontiff did not strip it from Alexandria's, and the Roman Catholic Church recognizes this.

The full ecclesiastical title is Papa Abba, and the person who bears it stands for the devotion of all monastics, from Pentapolis in the west to Constantinople in the east, to his guidance. Within the denomination, it is the most powerful designation, for all monks in the East to voluntarily follow his spiritual authority, and it is said that it should be assumed that he is a bearer of Christ.

For the Patriarchs of Alexandria prior to the schism after the Council of Chalcedon, see List of Patriarchs of Alexandria. For the patriarchs of the Byzantine Orthodox church after the split with the Oriental Orthodox church, see List of Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Alexandria.

Note that not all of the dates given are certain. The dates below are according to the Gregorian calendar. Some of the dates disagree with those given in Coptic publications such as The English Katameros. In some cases, publications errors caused the difference and have been corrected. In other cases, calendar differences between the Julian and the Gregorian calendars have caused some confusion.

Dioscorus I served as Patriarch of Alexandria since 444 until he was deposed and exiled by the Council of Chalcedon in 451, but he was still recognized as the Coptic Pope until his death in 454.

Chronological list of Popes and Patriarchs

1st century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
1	30 or 33 AD. (Apostle of Christ) 60 or 61 AD. (Evangelist of Egypt) 8 May 68 (Martyr)		St. Mark the Apostle, Evangelist, & Martyr Marcos • Ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲥ • مرقس	Yohanan (Hebrew) Marcos (Greek)	Cyrene, Pentapolis (North Africa)	The Evangelist of the Land of Egypt. He was martyred at Baucalis (East of Alexandria) during the persecution of Copts led by the Roman Emperor Nero.
2	62 – 29 November 83 ——————————— (21 years)		St. Anianus Inianos • Ⲁⲛⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ • إنيانوس	Inianos	Alexandria, Egypt	St. Anianus turned his house into a church, and it is said that it is the one known as the church of St. Mark which stands today in Alexandria.
3	13 December 83 – 11 September 95 ——————————— (11 years, 9 months)		St. Avilius Milieus • Ⲙⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ • ميليوس	Milieus	Alexandria, Egypt	He was elected Pope of Alexandria during the persecution against Copts by the Roman Emperor Domitian.
4	18 September 95 – 8 June 106 ——————————— (10 years, 9 months, 10 days)		St. Kedron Kerdonou • Ⲕⲉⲣⲇⲱⲛⲟⲩ • كردونوس	Kerdonou	Alexandria, Egypt	He was martyred during the persecution of Copts led by the Roman Emperor Trajan.

2nd century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
5	29 June 106 – 9 August 118 ——————————— (13 years, 1 month, 12 days)		St. Primus Epriemou • Ⲡⲣⲓⲙⲟⲩ • إبريموس	Epriemou	Alexandria, Egypt	He was one of the three who were ordained priest by St. Mark the Apostle.
6	23 September 118 – 19 June 129 ——————————— (10 years, 10 months)		St. Justus Iostos • Ⲓⲟⲥⲧⲟⲥ • يسطس	Iostos	Alexandria, Egypt	He was the First Dean of the Catechetical School of Alexandria appointed by St. Mark the Apostle. He was elected Pope of Alexandria during the persecution against Copts by the Roman Emperor Hadrian.
7	18 July 129 – 19 October 141 ——————————— (12 years, 3 months)		St. Eumenius Oumenios • Ⲉⲩⲙⲉⲛⲓⲟⲥ • أومانيوس	Oumenios	Alexandria, Egypt	Second Dean of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. He was elected Pope of Alexandria during the persecution against Copts by the Roman Emperor Hadrian.
8	17 November 141 – 14 January 152 ——————————— (10 years, 2 months)		St. Markianos Markianos • Ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ • مرقيانوس	Markianos	Alexandria, Egypt	Third Dean of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. During his Patriarchy, the Copts were persecuted by the Roman Emperor Antonius Pius.
9	29 January 152 – 16 July 166 ——————————— (14 years, 6 months)		St. Celadion Kalavtianos • Ⲕⲁⲗⲗⲁⲩⲑⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ • كلادنيوس	Kalavtianos	Alexandria, Egypt	He was elected Pope of Alexandria during the persecution against Copts by the Roman Emperor Antonius Pius.
10	1 August 166 – 12 February 178 ——————————— (11 years, 6 months, 5 days)		St. Agrippinus Aghreppinios • Ⲁⲋⲣⲓⲡⲡⲓⲛⲟⲥ • آغربينوس	Aghreppinios	Alexandria, Egypt	He was elected Pope of Alexandria during the persecution against Copts by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
11	18 March 178 – 17 March 188 ——————————— (10 years)		St. Julian Yulianos • Ⲓⲟⲩⲗⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ • يوليانوس	Yulianos	Alexandria, Egypt	He was elected Pope of Alexandria during the persecution against Copts by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
12	17 March 188 – 22 October 230 ——————————— (42 years, 7 months, 5 days).		St. Demetrius the Vinedresser Demetrios • Ⲇⲏⲙⲏⲧⲣⲓⲟⲥ • ديمتريوس	Demetrios	Alexandria, Egypt	During his Patriarchy, the Copts were persecuted by the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus.

3rd century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
13	18 November 230 – 17 December 246 ——————————— (16 years, 1 month)		St. Heraclas Yaraklas • Ⲓⲉⲣⲁⲕⲗⲁⲥ • ياراكلاس	Yaraklas	Alexandria, Egypt	He is the first Patriarch to carry the hierarchy title "Pope". Which the Bishop of Rome did not use until the sixth century. During his Patriarchy, the Copts were persecuted by the Roman Emperor Maximus the Tharacian.
14	28 December 246 – 22 March 264 ——————————— (17 years, 2 months, 10 days)		St. Dionysius the Great Dionysius • Ⲇⲓⲟⲛⲩⲥⲓⲟⲩ • ديونيسيوس	Dionysius	Alexandria, Egypt	He was the Dean of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. He was elected Pope of Alexandria during the great persecution against Copts by the Roman Emperor Decius.
15	9 November 264 – 22 April 282 ——————————— (17 years, 5 months)		St. Maximus Maximus • Ⲙⲁⲝⲓⲙⲟⲩ • مكسيموس	Maximus	Alexandria, Egypt	He participated in the Synods of Antioch against the heresies of Paul of Samosata. During his Patriarchy, the Copts were persecuted by the Roman Emperor Aurelian.
16	11 December 282 – 10 January 301 ——————————— (19 years, 1 month)		St. Theonas Theona • Ⲑⲉⲱⲛⲁ • ثاؤنا	Theona	Alexandria, Egypt	Eusebius the Historian calls him a "pillar of the Church".

4th century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
17	8 February 302 – 8 December 311 ——————————— (9 years, 10 months)		St. Peter the Seal of the Martyrs Petros • Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ • بطرس	Petros	Alexandria, Egypt	He was the last martyred during The Great Persecution led by the Roman Emperors Diocletian and Galerius.
18	24 December 311 – 26 June 312 ——————————— (6 months)		St. Achillas Archelaos • Ⲁⲣⲭⲉⲗⲁⲟⲥ • أرشيلاوس	Archelaos	Alexandria, Egypt	He was the Dean of the Catechetical School of Alexandria, defending the teachings of Orthodoxy. And was elected Pope of Alexandria during the reign of the Emperor Constantine the Great.
19	10 July 312 – 30 April 328 ——————————— (15 years, 9 months, 20 days)		St. Alexander I Alexanderos • Ⲁⲗⲉⲝⲁⲛⲇⲣⲟⲥ • آلِكسندر	Alexanderos	Alexandria, Egypt	On 18 November 325 AD, St. Alexandros, 19th Pope & Patriarch of Alexandria attended the 1st Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, and was accompanied by his Archdeacon, St. Athanasius the Apostolic.
20	5 May 328 – 15 May 373 ——————————— (45 years)		St. Athanasius the Apostolic Athanasius • Ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ • أثناسيوس	Athanasius	El Balyana, Sohag Governorate, Egypt	Attended the 1st Ecumenical Council at Nicaea as a Deacon and wrote the Nicene Creed also known as the Orthodox Creed or Athanasius Creed. He is regarded by majority Western protestants, scholars, and theologians as the greatest leader of Christianity.
21	27 May 373 – 27 February 379 ——————————— (5 years, 9 months)		St. Peter II Petros • Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ • بطرس	Petros	Alexandria, Egypt
22	14 March 379 – 2 August 385 ——————————— (6 years, 4 months, 6 days)		St. Timothy I Timotheos • Ⲧⲓⲙⲟⲑⲉⲟⲥ • تيموثاوس	Timotheos	Alexandria, Egypt	Attended the 2nd Ecumenical Council at Constantinople.
23	28 August 385 – 28 October 412 ——————————— (27 years, 2 months)		St. Theophilus Theophilus • Ⲑⲉⲟ́ⲫⲓⲗⲟⲩ • ثاوفيلس	Theophilus	Alexandria, Egypt	St. Theophilus fought against the pagans, the Arians and the Anthropomorphists, supported by Emperor Theodosius. St. Theophilus was succeeded on the Apostolic Throne by his nephew St. Cyril, 24th Pope of Alexandria.

5th century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
24	17 October 412 – 10 July 444 ——————————— (31 years, 8 months, 10 days)		St. Cyril the Pillar of Faith Kyrillos • Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲩ • كيرلس	Kyrillos	Alexandria, Egypt	Known as the "Pillar of Faith" and "Lamp of the Orthodox Church". On 22 September 431 AD, St. Cyril attended the 3rd Ecumenical Council at Ephesus, which he rebuked and excommunicated Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople who denied the Virgin as Theotokos ('God-bearer').
25	8 August 444 – 17 September 454 ——————————— (10 years, 1 month, 9 days)		St. Dioscorus the Champion of Orthodoxy Dioscorus • Ⲇⲓⲟⲥⲕⲟⲣⲟⲩ • ديسقورس	Dioscorus	Alexandria, Egypt	Known as the "Champion of Orthodoxy". Last Pope & Patriarch of Alexandria to attend a Western council, the 4th Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon and was accompanied by St. Marcarius, Bishop of Edkow. They were exiled by Emperor Marcianus and the Empress Pulcheria to the Island of Gangra, where St. Dioscorus departed and was laid to rest.
26	13 October 455 – 13 August 477 ——————————— (21 years, 10 months)		St. Timothy II Timotheos • Ⲧⲓⲙⲟⲑⲉⲟⲥ • تيموثاوس	Timotheos	Alexandria, Egypt
27	14 September 477 – 11 November 489 ——————————— (13 years, 1 month, 29 days)		St. Peter III Petros • Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ • بطرس	Petros	Alexandria, Egypt
28	11 December 489 – 30 September 496 ——————————— (6 years, 9 months, 20 days)		St. Athanasius II Athanasius • Ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ • أثناسيوس	Athanasius	Alexandria, Egypt
29	29 September 496 – 12 May 505 ——————————— (8 years, 7 months)		St. John I Yoannis • Ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ • يوأنسر	Yoannis	Alexandria, Egypt

6th century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
30	29 May 505 – 4 June 516 ——————————— (10 years, 11 months, 23 days)		St. John II Yoannis • Ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ • يوأنسر	Yoannis	Alexandria, Egypt
31	10 June 516 – 27 October 518 ——————————— (2 years, 4 months, 15 days)		St. Dioscorus II Dioscorus • Ⲇⲓⲟⲥⲕⲟⲣⲟⲩ • ديسقورس	Dioscorus	Alexandria, Egypt
32	10 November 518 – 20 February 536 ——————————— (17 years, 3 months)		St. Timothy III Timotheos • Ⲧⲓⲙⲟⲑⲉⲟⲥ • تيموثاوس	Timotheos	Alexandria, Egypt
33	22 February 536 – 5 July 567 ——————————— (31 years, 4 months, 15 days)		St. Theodosius I Theodosios • Ⲑⲉⲟ́ⲇⲟⲥⲓⲟⲥ • ثيئودوسيوس	Theodosios	Alexandria, Egypt
34	25 July 567 – 2 July 569 ——————————— (1 year, 10 months, 25 days)		St. Peter IV Petros • Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ • بطرس	Petros	Alexandria, Egypt
35	26 June 569 – 25 June 605 ——————————— (35 years, 11 months, 16 days)		St. Damian Damianos • Ⲇⲁⲙⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ • داميانوس	Damianos	Syria

7th century

8th century

9th century

10th century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
57	29 May 909 – 28 February 920 ——————————— (10 years, 9 months)		St. Gabriel I Gabriel • Ⲋⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ • غبريال	Gabriel	Shibin El Kom, Monufia Governorate, Egypt
58	28 February 920 – 12 March 932 ——————————— (12 years)		St. Cosmas III Kosma • Ⲕⲟⲥⲙⲁ • قسما	Kosma	Egypt
59	9 April 932 – 2 April 952 ——————————— (19 years, 11 months, 23 days)		St. Macarius I Macarius • Ⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ • مكاريوس		Alexandria, Egypt
60	1 August 952 – 19 December 956 ——————————— (4 years, 4 months, 11 days)		St. Theophilus Theophilus • Ⲑⲉⲟ́ⲫⲁnⲓⲟⲥ • ثاؤفانيوس	Theophilus	Alexandria, Egypt
61	20 December 956 – 25 November 974 ——————————— (17 years, 11 months, 6 days)		Pope Mina II Mina • Ⲙнnⲁ • مينا	Mena	Sandela, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, Egypt
62	28 November 975 – 16 December 978 ——————————— (3 years, 11 months)		St. Abraham Avraam • Ⲁⲃⲣⲁⲁⲙ • أبرآم بن زرعة	Abraam ibn Zeraa	Syria	Al-Mu'iz, Caliph of the Fatimid Caliphate challenged Pope Abraham "if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move" (Matt 17:20 & Mark 11:23). After 3 days of prayers and fasting the Pope with St. Simon the Tanner moved the Mokattam Mountain east of Cairo. The story of this miracle can be found in the History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria written by the historian Severus Ibn al-Muqaffa.
63	10 April 979 –21 November 1003 ——————————— (24 years, 7 months, 10 days)		Pope Philotheos Philotheos • Ⲫⲓⲗⲟⲑⲉⲟⲥ • فيلوثاوس	Philotheos	Egypt

11th century

12th century

13th century

14th century

15th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
104	21 August 1718 – 4 April 1726 ——————————— (7 years, 7 months, 11 days)		St. Peter VI Petros • Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ • بطرس	Morgan	Asyut Asyut Governorate, Egypt
105	12 January 1727 – 21 April 1745 ——————————— (18 years, 3 months, 8 days)		St. John XVII Yoannis • Ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ • يوأنسر	Abdelsayed	Mallawi, Minya Governorate, Egypt
106	30 May 1745 – 18 May 1769 ——————————— (23 years, 11 months, 18 days)		St. Mark VII Marcos • Ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲥ • مرقس	Simeon	Klosna, El Bahnasa, Minya Governorate, Egypt	During his Patriarchy, there was an attempt from the Catholic Church to take over the Coptic Church. They ordained a monk from Jerusalem to be a Catholic Bishop in Egypt, but he was unable to come to Egypt and stayed in Jerusalem. They also ordained Raphael Al Tokhi as their bishop for Upper Egypt, but he was unable to stay there, so the Pope of Rome called him to Rome to stay there. Pope Mark VII wrote many books about the Coptic Church.
107	23 October 1769 – 9 June 1796 ——————————— (26 years, 7 months, 14 days)		St. John XVIII Yoannis • Ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ • يوأنسر	Youssef	Faiyum, Faiyum Governorate, Egypt	During his Patriarchy, Pope Pius VI of Rome sent an envoy to Pope John XVIII of Alexandria asking him to unite the Church of Alexandria with the Roman Catholic Church under the proceedings of the Council of Chalcedon. Pope John XVIII and all the Bishops in Egypt unanimously refuted the Tome of Leo and defended "One Nature-the Logos Incarnate," of the full humanity and full divinity. The famous scholar and theologian Joseph el-Abbah, Bishop of Girga responded to Pope Pius VI message and rejected the proceedings of the Council of Chalcedon in which Leo, the Archbishop of Rome preached Christ "in two natures".
108	4 October 1796 – 21 December 1809 ——————————— (13 years, 2 months, 19 days)		St. Mark VIII Marcos • Ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲥ • مرقس	Youhanna	Tima, Sohag Governorate, Egypt	During his Patriarchy, the French invaded Egypt. His seat at Haret Al Rum was transferred to Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Azbakeya in the year 1800.

19th century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
109	24 December 1809 – 6 April 1825 ——————————— (30 years, 5 months, 6 days)		St. Peter VII Petros • Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ • بطرس	Mankarius	Gawli, Manfalut, Asyut Governorate, Egypt	A Russian ambassador offered the Patriarch Peter VII the protection from the Russian Emperor, Nicholas I, however the patriarch thanked the Emperor, saying no other protection was needed than God.
110	5 June 1853 – 31 January 1862 ——————————— (6 years, 7 months, 13 days)		St. Cyril IV Kyrillos • Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲩ • كيرلس	Daoud	Sawamaa, Girga, Sohag Governorate, Egypt	He established a Coptic School in Haret El-Sakkayeen. As well as a printing house and printed many church books.
111	17 June 1862 – 18 January 1870 ——————————— (7 years, 7 months, 3 days)		St. Demetrius II Demetrios • Ⲇⲏⲙⲏⲧⲣⲓⲟⲥ • ديمتريوس	Mikhail	Galda, Minya Governorate, Egypt
112	1 November 1874 – 7 August 1927 ——————————— (52 years, 9 months, 6 days)		St. Cyril V Kyrillos • Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲩ • كيرلس	Youhanna	Tezment, Beni Suef Governorate, Egypt	Longest-serving pope in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church. In 1908, Marcus Simaika Pasha obtained the approval of the pope to build the Coptic Museum which was inaugurated on 14 March 1910.

20th century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
113	16 December 1928 – 21 June 1942 ——————————— (13 years, 6 months, 5 days)		St. John XIX Yoannis • Ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ • يوأنسر		Dair Tasa, Asyut Governorate, Egypt	First ever Bishop or Metropolitan ordained Pope.
114	19 February 1944 – 31 August 1945 ——————————— (1 year, 6 months, 19 days)		St. Macarius III Macarius • Ⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ • مكاريوس		El-Mahalla El-Kubra, Gharbia Governorat, Egypt	Was ordained metropolitan for Assiut at 24 years old.
115	26 May 1946 – 14 November 1956 ——————————— (10 years, 5 months, 17 days)		Pope Joseph II Yousab • Ⲓⲱⲥⲏⲫ • يوساب		Naghamish, Sohag Governorate, Egypt	Foundation of the Higher Institute of Coptic Studies.
116	10 May 1959 – 9 March 1971 ——————————— (11 years, 9 months, 29 days)		St. Cyril VI Kyrillos • Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲩ • كيرلس	Azer Youssef Atta	Damanhur, Beheira Governorate, Egypt	Pope Cyril VI (also known in Arabic as "the man of prayer") gave a humble, public image for the Coptic church. One of the more recent popes to become involved in politics, Pope Cyril VI had good relations with Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. In the tenth year of his papacy, the holy church celebrates the inauguration of the new St. Mark Cathedral in Dair El-Anba Rowais, which was known also as Dair El-Khandaq. For this occasion and for the return of the relics of St. Mark the Apostle from Rome, after being in the city of Venice in Italy for eleven centuries, a great religious celebration was organized. The celebration was headed by H.H. Pope Kyrillos the Sixth and was attended by President Gamal Abdel Naser, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Emperor Haile Selassie the First, Emperor of Ethiopia, and many of the heads of different religions and representatives of churches from all around the world. Among those religious leaders was Mar Ignatius Yacoub the Third, the Antiochian Patriarch for the Syrian Orthodox. He is revered very highly today, and continues to perform numerous miracles especially for students in need.
117	14 November 1971 – 17 March 2012 ——————————— (40 years, 4 months, 3 days)		Pope Shenouda III Shenouda • Ϣⲉⲛⲟⲩⲇⲁ • شنودة	Nazeer Gayed Roufail	Abnub, Asyut Governorate, Egypt	First Pope to visit the Patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople since 451 AD. Most notably, Pope Shenouda III's reign also saw the rapid diaspora of Coptic people throughout the whole world for the first time in centuries (including the establishment of hundreds of churches in the United States, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and several other countries.) Pope Shenouda III had the greatest impact on the Coptic Church's canon, modernizing several regulations to fit not only the needs of the Coptic people, but the traditions of the Church as well. He is formally known as "the man of ministry".

21st century

Numerical Order	Apostolic Throne	Portrait	Popes & Patriarchs of Alexandria English • Coptic • Arabic	Name before Patriarchate	Place of Birth	Notes
118	18 November 2012 – Present ——————————— (Since 2012)		Pope Theodore II Tawadros • Ⲑⲉⲟ́ⲇⲱⲣⲟⲥ • تواضروس	Wagih Subhi Baqi Sulayman	Mansoura, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt	In August 2013, Churches and monasteries in Upper Egypt (built in the 4th and 5th centuries) were forced to cancel Sunday Mass for the first time in 1,600 years due to the intense persecution led by the Muslim Brotherhood.[2]

References

General

• Meinardus, Otto F.A. (2002). "Appendix B: The Patriarchs of the Coptic Church and the Rulers of Egypt". Two Thousand Years of Coptic Christianity. American University in Cairo Press. pp. 273–279. ISBN 978-977-424-757-6. 

Specific

External links

• The Official website of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy See of Saint Mark the Apostle
• Coptic Documents in French