Born in 1952, Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria has led the Coptic Orthodox Church (CNEWA profile) since 2012. The church is among the Oriental Orthodox churches that ceased to be in full communion with the Holy See following the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451.

Pope Tawadros’ predecessor, Pope Shenouda III, led the church from 1971 to 2012; he banned the Coptic Orthodox faithful from visiting Israel, in part because in 1970, the Israeli government confiscated Deir es-Sultan (a Coptic Orthodox monastery in Jerusalem) and gave it to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.