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Egypt's Copts vote for successor to Pope Shenouda III | Egypt's Copts vote for successor to Pope Shenouda III |
(about 14 hours later) | |
A council of Coptic Christians in Egypt is voting for a successor to Pope Shenouda III, who died in March. | |
Two bishops and three monks are short-listed to become the 118th head of the region's largest Christian minority. | Two bishops and three monks are short-listed to become the 118th head of the region's largest Christian minority. |
The council will pick three, writing their names on separate pieces of paper that will be placed in a box on the altar of St Mark's Cathedral in Cairo. | The council will pick three, writing their names on separate pieces of paper that will be placed in a box on the altar of St Mark's Cathedral in Cairo. |
A blindfolded child will be asked to draw out one of the names on 4 November, thereby picking the new Pope. | A blindfolded child will be asked to draw out one of the names on 4 November, thereby picking the new Pope. |
About 2,400 people have the right to vote in the ballot. | |
The individual chosen will become the new Coptic Pope who will be enthroned in a ceremony on 18 November. | The individual chosen will become the new Coptic Pope who will be enthroned in a ceremony on 18 November. |
The next patriarch will be the community's main contact with Egypt's new president. | |
"We always elect our pope in a critical time in the country's history. The last two popes were elected at the start of two Egyptian presidents' rule," volunteer Shaker Talaat told Agence France Presse. | |
The five candidates are: | The five candidates are: |
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Pope Shenouda III died at the age of 88 on 17 March, reportedly after suffering cancer. | Pope Shenouda III died at the age of 88 on 17 March, reportedly after suffering cancer. |
He had urged officials to do more to address Coptic concerns after numerous attacks on churches in recent years. | He had urged officials to do more to address Coptic concerns after numerous attacks on churches in recent years. |
He had led the Church, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, for four decades. | He had led the Church, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, for four decades. |
His successor faces the task of reassuring the Coptic community during the Islamist resurgence of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, correspondents say. | His successor faces the task of reassuring the Coptic community during the Islamist resurgence of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, correspondents say. |
Many younger Copts will be looking for a leader who can help redefine their community's role in a rapidly changing post-Mubarak Egypt, they add. | Many younger Copts will be looking for a leader who can help redefine their community's role in a rapidly changing post-Mubarak Egypt, they add. |