The Holy Synod and Nominations Committee of the Coptic Orthodox Church have announced that the new pope to succeed His Holiness the late Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa on the holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark, will be chosen on 2 December 2012. Pope Shenouda III died on 17 March 2012 after 41 years in office.

The Papal Selection Timeline as announced on Wednesday 12 September 2012:

14 September- Final papal nominations announced by nominations committee
15-30 September - Period for challenges to nominations by voters
1-3 October - Church-wide fast for the coming stage of the process
3 October - Nominations committee commences deliberations and creates a shortlist of  five - sevencandidates for papal election
19-21 November - Church-wide fast before Papal election
24 November - Papal election
26-9 November - Church-wide fast preceding Altar Ballot
2 December - Liturgical service at the Grand Cathedral of St Mark in which the Altar Ballot will take place and the new pope will be chosen.

The Nominations Committee also issued the final list of Papal Candidates on Wednesday 12 September. They are:

Metropolitan Bishoy of Damietta
Bishop Youannes
Bishop Rafael
Bishop Pafnotious of Samalout
Bishop Boutros
Bishop Tawadrous
Bishop Kyrollos of Milan
Father Rafael Ava-Mina
Father Maximos El-Antony
Father Shenouda Anba-Bishoy
Father Pakhomious El-Souriany
Father Daniel El-Saurian
Father Anastasia El-Samuel
Father Bishoy Anba-Paula
Father Saweris Anba-Paula
Father Seraphim El-Souriany
Father Pigol Anba-Bishoy

His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom said: “The papal selection process, albeit lengthy, has been carried out thus far with integrity, transparency and inclusion of the broad spectrum of the Coptic Orthodox Church both inside and outside Egypt. As we approach the selection of the new pope, we are confident that this process has been carried out for centuries, and is not merely based on democratic election, but primarily on a collective prayerfulness and faith in God’s choice.”

Source: Coptic Orthodox Church UK