Roger Anis
Bishop Tawadros, 60, soon to be Pope Tawadros II greets well-wishers, not shown, after being named the 118th Coptic Pope in the Wadi Natrun Monastery complex northwest of Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012. Egypt's ancient Coptic Christian church named a new pope on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012 to spiritually guide the community through a time when many fear for their future with the rise of Islamists to power and deterioration in police powers after last year's uprising. (AP Photo/Roger Anis, El Shorouk Newspaper) EGYPT OUT
CAIRO (AP) — A blindfolded child reached into a crystal chalice and pulled out a slip of paper — and Egypt’s Coptic Christians had a new pope.
At the Coptic Cathedral, there was a moment of silence. Then a boy, himself chosen by lottery, his face covered by a dark blue cloth decorated with religious images, was led to the chalice. Copts believe that his hand would be guided by God. He reached into the vessel and pulled out the name of Bishop Tawadros, who will be the next spiritual leader of the Copts.