CAIRO: The United States has praised the new Egyptian Coptic Christian Pope, who was chosen on Sunday in a traditional ceremony that saw a young boy pull a name from a box. “The President sends his warm congratulations to Coptic Orthodox Christians and all Egyptians on the joyous occasion of the selection of Bishop Tawadros as the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of all Africa on the Holy See of St. Mark the Apostle,” a statement issued by the White House read. “The United States shares Bishop Tawadros' commitment to unity, tolerance, and interfaith dialogue. “We wish him great success in leading the Middle East's largest Christian community during a time of great change in the region, and reaffirm our strong support for religious freedom and mutual respect among people of all faiths,” the statement continued. “The American people will continue to stand with Egyptians of every faith as they work to fulfill the goals of their revolution, including freedom, dignity, and economic opportunity.” Bishop Tawadros became the church's 118th pope after his name was selected from three finalists at a mass at St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo. He succeeds Pope Shenouda III, who passed away in March after four decades as patriarch of the first and largest Christian community in the Middle East. Some 10 percent of Egypt's 90 million population are Christian, the vast majority of whom are Coptic. It also comes as continued fears of sectarianism are hitting the country in recent time after the election of Muslim Brotherhood figure Mohamed Morsi to the presidency.
