Born: Mansoura, Dakahlya, Egypt Name before Patriarchy: Wagih Sobhy Baky Solaiman before monasticism Monk Theodore Anba Bishoy (Θεόδωρος) Anba Tawadros General Bishop of Beheira Monastery: Anba Bishoy, Wady El Natroun, Egypt. Date of Papacy: 9 Hatour 1729 - 18 November 2012 Residence: Anba Reweis Cathedral, Abassia, Cairo, Egypt Contemporary presidents: Mohamed Morsy El Ayat Pope Tawadros was born on Thursday 4 November 1952 (this was the same day of Anba Tawadros’ selection for the patriarchy in 2012). His father was an engineer. He was the oldest brother. His mother(1) was taught in Saint Demiana monastery and she was the youngest sister. The father liked order very much and he liked languages (English and French) because he used to deal with foreigner engineers. The mother took good care of her children and their connection to the church as well as the family ties. It was an ordinary family whose world was the church, service, love of God and the Bible. The two families were close and visited their relatives and participated in special occasions. They loved reading very much. The family lived in Mansoura (till the age of five) then moved to Sohag (till the age of eight and nine) then to Damanhour (1961) then to Alexandria. The Pope had 3 sisters; the eldest died young, another one three years younger called “Hoda” and another one eleven or twelve years called “Dina” who was born in Damanhour and passed away in 2009. His father died on 3rd June 1967 the day of his 3rd Preparatory exam and two days before the war. There was a story told about a visit of the family while the children were young to Pope Cyril VI and he told Wagih “You will be great”. Nevertheless this story was untrue. His Holiness said that when he was in 3rd or 4th grade when they were still new in Damanhour, the mother took her child to Pope Cyril VI when he was ordaining deacons because she wanted her son to become one. The archdeacon got Wagih out of the row roughly because he was a stranger. The mother went home in tears while the boy was not concerned about that. When the father came back from work and found her in such a state, he told her “He will be a bishop”. He began service while he was in Secondary school in 1968 in the ancient church of the Archangel in Damanhour with Father Mikhael Guirges who was ordained in 1963 and was Wagih’s father in confession till he entered the monastery. At that time Pope Shenouda III used to go there to spend a week as the Bishop of Education. He graduated from school in 1970. He received his BSc.  in pharmacy in 1975 with grade “Very Good” with honours. He used to dream of becoming a pharmacist as His Holiness said, “The pharmacist is the person who comforts people.” This was because his father had a peptic ulcer and the doctor used to give Wagih the prescription when he was in the primary stage and he would go to the pharmacist to buy the medicine then his father would take the medicine that relieves him of pain. Thus this scene was always in His Holiness’ mind that a pharmacist relieves people of pain. In 1975, the principal of service in The Archangel Church in Damanhour became a priest, and Dr. Wagih took his place. His hobby was reading. He loved photography, nevertheless he didn’t own a camera. He bought one ten years after graduation when he was in Oxford. He also had the talent of handwriting. He became an Eghnostos (“reader” in Coptic language)   on 27 September 1975 by His Eminence Metropolitan Bakhomios (after he graduated from university although he has started his service in church since he was in the Secondary stage). He received his Bachelor in Clerical college in Alexandria in 1983. He got his fellowship from the UNESCO in England in 1985 about “Quality Assurance and Quality Control of Drugs”. He made higher studies in the pharmaceutical engineering from Alexandria University. He worked as a pharmacist in Health Ministry institutions. He became a manager of a state owned pharmaceutical  factory in Damanhour. His family is a priestly one even before he became one. The first priest in the modern history of the family is Father Antonious Baky (his uncle) he was ordained in 1969, then Father Youhana Baky in 1972 (the priest of Saint Marcos church in Masr ElGedida.) There is also Father Bakhoum Habib (a priest in Saint Antonious in Shubra) then Pope Tawadros first as a monk  then Father Antonious Baky was ordained as a priest in Virgin Mary and Saint John in San Fransisco, America. He was the Pope’s cousin then Father Youhana and Father Zakaria (who serves with Bishop Abraam.) He wanted to go to the monastery and this was what he always wanted but it was delayed because of some family and work ties. He didn’t tell any of his relatives that he was going to the monastery. When he was writing his resignation since it had to be accepted, it was written “ The resignation of Dr. Wagih Sobhy Baky Soliman is accepted after he had spent 10 years, 10 months and 10 days at work.” This resignation was after H.G. Bishop Sarabamon Bishop of Saint Bishoy monastery accepted his plea and that was on 25 September 1986. What’s worth mentioning is when Pope Tawadros  was in primary school, Pope Kirellos VI was the Patriarch. When he was in his first year at college, Pope Shenouda was the Patriarch. He went to the monastery of Saint Bishoy in Wadi El Natroun on 20 August 1986 at the time of Virgin Mary’s Fast (according to the monastic traditions, the person who wants to be a monk must spend the time of the fast in the monastery). His demand to be a monk remained for two years. Before he became a monk, he served in the kitchen in the host house for two years besides receiving the guests, serving food and he was also in charge of the pharmacy of the monastery. He was ordained monk on Sunday 21 July 1988 and Pope Shenouda gave him the name “Theodore”. After that he became in charge of receiving the guests (trips, people, speaking about the monastery and its history..) After a year, he was ordained priest and that was on 23 December 1989. He was an extinctive disciple of H.E. Metropolitan Bakhomios, locum tenens of the Church (who was ordained priest in 1971) after HH Pope Shenouda III. He moved to Behira (Bishopric of Beheira in Damanhour  2 months after he was ordained priest) on Thursday 15 February 1990. He travelled abroad three times as a monk; 2 times in 1990 and 1993 to Cyprus to attend the Ecumenical meetings of the Middle East Council of churches about “Church and Development”. The third time, in 1995, he travelled to Libya to assist the Fathers who serve in Tripoli and Benghazi. He was consecrated bishop in June 1997 (in the Pentecost) as a General Bishop to help H.E. Metropolitan Bakhomios in Beheira, Matrouh and the five western cities under the name of H.G. Anba Tawadros, the General Bishop of Beheira. What’s worth mentioning is that H.G. Anba Raphael, the General Bishop of the churches of Central Cairo and the second nominee for the papacy, was consecrated bishop on the same day. He was from Virgin Mary (Baramos) monastery. He studied “Christian teaching and Administration” in Singapore in 1999. In the Bishopric, he was very much concerned in the childhood stage whether in Mahragan El Keraza and the forum of creative children or as responsible for the childhood committee in the Holy Synod. He wrote 12 books before the papacy. We will put them on St-Takla.org later. After the departure of HH Pope Shenouda III at the age of 89, there were 17 candidates; bishops and monks for the papacy. First: The Bishops: 1- His Grace Bishop Boutros, General Bishop and Pope Shenouda’s secretary. 2- His Grace Bishop Befnotious, Bishop of Samalut. 3- His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy, Metropolitan of Damietta, Kafr El Sheikh, Belkas and Barary. 4- His Grace Bishop Tawadros, General Bishop of Beheira. 5- His Grace Bishop Raphael, General Bishop of Central Cairo churches. 6- His Grace Bishop Kyrillos, Bishop of Milan, Italy. 7- His Grace Bishop Youannes, General Bishop and Pope Shenouda’s secretary. Second: The Monks: 8- Father Anatasy from Saint Samuel monastery. 9- Father Bakhomious El Suriany. 10- Father Bigol Anba Bishoy. 11- Father Bishoy Anba Bola, the hermit. 12- Father Daniel El Suriany. 13- Father Raphael Ava Mina. 14- Father Sirafem El Suriany. 15- Father Saweires Anba Bola 16- Father Shenouda Anba Bishoy. 17- Father Maximos El Antony. After the church fasted for three days 1, 2 and 3 October 2012, the committee of bishops studied the files of the candidates, it reached a final list of five: 1- Father Bakhomios El Suriany. 2- Bishop Tawadros. 3- Bishop Raphael. 4- Father Raphael Ava Mina. 5- Father Sirafem El Suriany. On 29 October 2012 and after the people fasted for 3 days: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 22, 23 and 24 October 2012, the elections took place in the Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Abassia to choose 3 reverends out of 5 for the final list depending on the votes. The list was: Anba Raphael (1980 votes), Anba Tawadros (1623 votes) and Father Raphael Ava Mina (1530 votes). We put the full details -here at st-takla.org- of the final procedures for 118th papal selection in the Coptic Orthodox church (AR). Anba Tawadros was recommended by many bishops in Egypt and abroad: His Grace Bishop Raphael, General Bishop of Central Cairo churches, H.G. Anba Demian, Bishop of Germany, Anba Sorial, Bishop of Melbourne in Australia, H.G. Anba Makarios, Bishop of Menya, H.G. Anba Bakhoum, Bishop of Sohag, H.G. Anba Andrawos, Bishop of Abou Tig. After a 1st degree fasting; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 31October, 1and 2nd November 2012, the Divine Liturgy was on 4th November 2012. The Divine selection came over Anba Tawadros, 60 years old. A blindfolded boy called “Bishoy Guirges Saad” 6 years old  picked up the chalice out of three ones. General Maher Mourad, assistant of Minister of Interior as said by the regulation of 1957. What’s worth mentioning is that the new regulation of the papal elections will be one of the concerns of  HH Pope Tawadros in his first year of papacy to put into consideration the development of the See of Saint Mark abroad and the new Bishoprics and so on. His Holiness Pope Tawadros II visited Saint Takla Hemanot Church in Ibrahimia, Alexandria on Saturday 6 April 2013. This was his first visit to our church as a Pope. He met the wives of the priests of the churches of east Alexandria and this took place in the meeting hall in the new service building of the church. His Holiness then went to see the hospital of Saint Takla and the floors that were added to it then he prayed the vesper, gave his sermon and blessed the people of the church one by one. There are images of the visit on the site.  _____ * References that we used here at St-Takla.org in this research: Interview with His Holiness Pope Tawadros' cousin Fr. Antonious Baky, on the day the day of His selection as Pope (Sun. 4 Nov. 2012) in "Nabd Masr" program on MESat channel, presented by Mr. Adel Karam. Candidates' data as announced by the Coptic Church at the time of the elections. Exclusive interview with H.H. Pope Tawadros II, presented by Ms. Doha El-Zoheiry, on Tues. 6 Nov. 2012, on Al-Jazeerah Mubasher Masr Channel. Exclusive interview with H.H. Pope Tawadros II, in "Hona Al-Asema" live program, presented by Mrs. Lamis El-Hadidy, directed by Mr. Mohammed Atef. Interview with His Holiness Pope Tawadros in "Al- Ashera Masaan" program, presented by Mr. Wael El-Ebrashy. Interview with His Holiness Pope Tawadros in "El- Helm ElMasry", on the Egyptian TV Channel 1, presented by Mr. Atef Kamel, directed by Mr. Ahmed El-Sharkawy. Interview with His Holiness Pope Tawadros on MESat Coptic Channel titled "In-depth with Pope Tawadrous", presented by Fr. Bishoy Helmy, first of May 2013. _____ Footnotes and references for this page here at St- Takla.org: (1) His mother died on March 28, 2014.