Three Candidates Shortlisted to be New Coptic Orthodox Pope

Three candidates have been shortlisted to succeed the late pope Shenouda III as head of the Coptic Orthodox Church after a poll of nearly 2,500 people on Oct. 29th. Two bishops and a monk have reached the final stage in the papal election process: Anba Raphael, 54, of central Cairo; Anba Tawodros, 60, auxiliary of the diocese of El Beheira and Father Raphael AvaMina, 70, a monk from St. Mina’s monastery near Alexandria.