Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria in the context of "Azbakeya"

A papal name or pontifical name is the regnal name taken by a pope. Both the head of the Catholic Church, usually known as the pope, and the pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (Coptic pope) choose papal names. As of 2025, Leo XIV is the Catholic pope, and Tawadros II or Theodoros II is the Coptic pope. This article discusses and lists the names of Catholic popes; another article has a list of Coptic Orthodox popes of Alexandria.

While popes in the early centuries retained their birth names after their accession to the papacy, later popes began to adopt a new name upon their accession. This began in the sixth century and became customary in the tenth century. Since 1555, every pope has taken a papal name.

The following is a list of all of the Coptic Orthodox popes who have led the Coptic Orthodox Church and have succeeded the Apostle Mark the Evangelist in the office of Bishop of Alexandria, who founded the Church in the 1st century, and marked the beginning of Christianity in Africa.

The Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches (not to be confused with the Byzantine Orthodox group of churches) and is presided over by the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria who is the body's spiritual leader. This position is held since 2012 by Pope Tawadros II, the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of all Africa on the Holy See of St. Mark.

Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral is a Coptic Orthodox church in Azbakeya, Cairo, Egypt. It was the seat of the Coptic Pope from 1800 to 1971.

Due to Ibrahim El-Gohary's influential position in the government and his great favor to the Muslim rulers, he was able to issue fatwas that permitted the Copts to rebuild the destroyed churches and monasteries.

Pope Shenouda III (born Nazir Gayed Roufail; 3 August 1923 – 17 March 2012) was the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. His papacy lasted 40 years, 4 months, and 4 days, from 14 November 1971 until his death.

His official title was Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic Throne of Saint Mark the Evangelist, Father of fathers, Shepherd of shepherds, Successor of Saint Mark, thirteenth among the Apostles, Ecumenical Judge, Beloved of Christ. He was also the head of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He was known as a conservative figure within the church, and was respected within the Muslim community.

The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the highest Orthodox authority in the Coptic Orthodox Church. It formulates the rules and regulations regarding matters of the Church's organisation and faith.

The synod is chaired by the patriarch of Alexandria and the members are the Church's metropolitan archbishops, metropolitan bishops, diocesan bishops, patriarchal exarchs, missionary bishops, auxiliary bishops, suffragan bishops, assistant bishops, chorbishops and the patriarchal vicars of the Church of Alexandria.

The Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Coptic: ⲡⲓⲉⲣⲫⲉⲓ ⲛ̀ⲕⲁⲑⲉⲇⲣⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡϫⲓⲛⲙⲓⲥⲓ ⲙ̀ⲡⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ, romanized: Pi-erfey EnKathedhra Ente Epjinmisi EmPi-Ekhrestos, lit. 'Temple Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ'; Arabic: كاتدرائية ميلاد المسيح, romanized: Kātidrāʾiyya Mīlād al-Masīḥ) is a Coptic Orthodox cathedral in the as-yet-unnamed New Administrative Capital, Egypt, some 45 km east of Cairo. It was commissioned by the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and inaugurated on 6 January 2019 by President el-Sisi and the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Tawadros II. It is the largest church in the Middle East, and the largest Oriental Orthodox church in the world by area.