Coptic Popes in Context. The Future of the Religious Past: Negotiating Tradition and Transition

This article looks at the first year of the reign of Pope Tawadros II (2012–) that started in the middle of the Arab Spring events. The chaos in society turned out to have unforeseen repercussions for the Coptic community; in particular, the number of sectarian incidents rose. While dealing with two Egyptian governments in the course of one year, the Pope also had to address the democratic impulses that, among others due to the Arab Spring, had been growing within the Coptic community and could no longer be ignored. While balancing the internal needs of the community and playing a role on the national as well as the international scene in this period of profound social chaos and transition, the Pope followed familiar, well-tested paths, while at the same time inserting new strategies.