The Coptic Orthodox Church announces Papal Selection dates
While the chronological order of stages will not change, these dates are set based on the stipulation of the electoral statute and may change as committees find the need for extensions to their allotted timescale, which will in turn have an effect upon the above mentioned stages.
The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre UK
Media and Public Relations Office
14/9/2012
The new pope of The Coptic Orthodox Church will be chosen on 2 December 2012 as announced by the Holy Synod and Nominations Committee on Wednesday 12 September 2012. The official list of Papal nominees and final dates that will bring the Papal selection process to a close was also announced.
The Holy Synod and Nominations Committee of the Coptic Orthodox Church have announced that the new pope to succeed His Holiness the late Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa on the holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark, will be chosen on 2 December 2012. Pope Shenouda III departed on 17th March 2012 after forty-one years of papacy.
The Papal Selection Timeline as announced on Wednesday 12 September 2012 is as follows:
14 September- Final papal nominations announced by nominations committee
15-30 September – Period for challenges to nominations by voters
1-3 October – Church-wide fast for the coming stage of the process
3 October – Nominations committee commences deliberations and creates a shortlist of 5-7 candidates for papal election
19-21 November – Church-wide fast before Papal election
24 November – Papal election
26-9 November – Church-wide fast preceding Altar Ballot
2 December – Liturgical service at the Grand Cathedral of St Mark in which the Altar Ballot will take place and the new Pope will be chosen.
The Nominations Committee will formally issue the final list of Papal Candidates on Friday 14 September, and they are:
Metropolitan Bishoy of Damietta
Bishop Youannes
Bishop Rafael
Bishop Pafnotious of Samalout
Bishop Boutros
Bishop Tawadrous
Bishop Kyrollos of Milan
Father Rafael Ava-Mina
Father Maximos El-Antony
Father Shenouda Anba-Bishoy
Father Pakhomious El-Souriany
Father Daniel El-Saurian
Father Anastasia El-Samuel
Father Bishoy Anba-Paula
Father Saweris Anba-Paula
Father Seraphim El-Souriany
Father Pigol Anba-Bishoy
His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom who has issued a detailed explanation of the papal selection process said:
“The papal selection process, albeit lengthy, has been carried out thus far with integrity, transparency and inclusion of the broad spectrum of the Coptic Orthodox Church both inside and outside Egypt. As we approach the selection of the new pope, we are confident that this process has been carried out for centuries, and is not merely based on democratic election, but primarily on a collective prayerfulness and faith in God’s choice.”
