Sunday, November 18, 2012

New Coptic Orthodox Pope Is Enthroned in Egypt; Heads Largest Christian Group in Islamist Egypt

The Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II -- who was elected Pope earlier this month -- was enthroned today (November 18, 2012) as the spiritual leader of Egypt's Coptic Christians, according to the Inquisitr website.

Coptic Christians make up about a tenth of Egypt's 83 million people, making them the largest Christian group in the predominantly Islamist nation.

Copts have long complained of facing increasing discrimination as the Egyptian government grows more Islamist, but -- in a show of good faith -- the Muslim prime minister and a host of other cabinet officials attended the ceremony. Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi did not attend.

The Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI sent a message of congratulations to Pope Tawadros. Pope Benedict said he hoped the relationship between the Catholic and Coptic Orthodox churches would grow "in a fraternal spirit of collaboration" as well as "through a deepening of the theological dialogue."

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