In an extravagant ceremony in Cairo, Egypt's Coptic Church declares its new leader: Pope Tawadros II.<br/> <br />In a ritual steeped in tradition and filled with prayer, chants and incense at Abassiya Cathedral, the names of three candidates chosen at an earlier vote are placed in a wax-sealed bowl before a blindfolded boy picks out one name.<br/> <br />Copts believe this long-established process ensures worldly influences don't determine the successor to Pope Shenouda III, who led the Church for four decades until his death last March.<br/> <br />Pope Tawadros II is the 118th Coptic pontiff.<br/> <br />Formerly a bishop in the Nile Delta, he had trained as a pharmacist before joining the priesthood.<br/> <br />The Pope will likely come under pressure to improve relations with Egypt's majority Muslim population.<br/> <br />Many Christians, who make up about a tenth of Egypt's population of 83 million, are worried about political gains made by Islamists since former President Mubarak was ousted last year.<br/> <br />Since then there have been several attacks on churches, reigniting longstanding complaints that Christians are sidelined both in the workplace and in law.<br/> <br />Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, who emerged from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, has sworn to guard the rights of Christians.<br/> <br />On the group's Facebook page, an FJP official said he was optimistic about "fruitful cooperation" with the Copts' new leader.
