Pope’s greetings on enthronement of head Coptic Orthodox Church
November 19, 2012 - Pope Benedict has sent his felicitations to the new head of Egypt's
Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Tawadros II, on the occasion of his enthronement on Sunday
at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo. The 60-year old Coptic Pope, elected Nov. 4,
was installed in an elaborate ceremony lasting nearly four hours, attended by the
nation's Muslim prime minister and a host of Cabinet ministers and politicians. Pope
Benedict’s greetings were conveyed by his envoy to the coronation ceremony, Cardinal
Kurt Koch, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
“May the Almighty grant Your Holiness abundant spiritual gifts to strengthen you in
your new ministry, as you guide the clergy and laity along the paths of holiness,
for the good of your people and the peace and harmony of the whole of society,” the
Pope wrote, expressing his ‘closeness in prayer’. Pope Benedict recalled the ecumenical
efforts of the previous Coptic head, Pope Shenouda III, who passed away March 17,
and hoped that “one day all the followers of Christ will find themselves united in
that love and reconciliation which the Lord so earnestly desires.” He prayed that
“relations between the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church will continue
to grow closer, not only in a fraternal spirit of collaboration, but also through
a deepening of the theological dialogue that will enable us to grow in communion and
to bear witness before the world to the saving truth of the Gospel.” Pope Tawadross
II became the 118th Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.