Egypt's new Coptic pope enthroned in elaborate ceremony

CAIRO (AP) - The new pope of Egypt's Orthodox Coptic church was enthroned on Sunday in an elaborate ceremony lasting nearly four hours, attended by the nation's Muslim prime minister and a host of Cabinet ministers and politicians.

Pope Tawadros II, 60, was elected Nov. 4, but the official enthronement ceremony was held on Sunday at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo. He replaced Shenouda III, who died in March after leading the ancient church for 40 years.

The packed cathedral repeatedly erupted into applause as the ceremony progressed. The ceremony's climax came when the papal crown was placed on Pope Tawadros' head before he sat on the throne of St. Mark, the Coptic church's founding saint.

Pope Tawadros did not address the televised ceremony, but had a brief speech read on his behalf by one of the church's leaders in which he pledged to work for the good of Egypt, with its Muslims and Christians alike.