His Holiness Pope Tawadros II is the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.

His Holiness was born Wagih Sobhy Baky Soliman on November 4th, 1952 in Mansoura. His father was an irrigation engineer and his family moved around during his childhood.

He received a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Alexandria in 1975 and earned a fellowship for the World Health Organization from the British International Health Institute in England. He managed a state-owned pharmaceutical factory and graduated from the Coptic Seminary in 1983.

He joined St. Bishoy’s monastery in 1986 where remained a brother for two years, before being ordained a monk with the name Theodor El-Anba Bishoy. In 1989, he was ordained a priest. Two months later he began serving with His Eminence Metropolitan Bahkomious, who he served with from 1990 – 1997. In June 1997, His Holiness the Late Pope Shenouda III ordained him a General Bishop.

On November 4, 2012, after an election, the Grace of God chose His Holiness through an Altar Ballot to be the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. This date coincided with His Holiness’ 60th birthday. He was enthroned on November 18, 2012.

His Holiness is an author of 12 books on Christian Theology.