His Holiness Pope Tawadros II was born Wagih Sobhy Baky Soliman on November 4, 1952 in Mansoura. His father was an irrigation engineer and his family moved around during his childhood from Mansoura to Sohag and then to Damanhour.
He received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy in 1975 from Alexandria University and earned a fellowship for the World Health Organization from the British International Health Institute in England in 1985. He attended the Coptic Seminary and graduated in 1983. He then worked as a manager in a pharmaceutical company in Damanhour that was owned by the Ministry of Health.
His Holiness’s life has always revolved around church since his youth; he wished to live the life of monasticism. He entered the Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi El Natrun on August 20, 1986 and remained a brother for two years. He was ordained a monk on July 31, 1988 and after a year he was ordained a priest on December 23, 1989. Two months after, H.H. Pope Tawadros started serving with H.E. Metropolitan Pakhomious of Beheira on February 15, 1990. He was ordained a bishop on June 15, 1997 by the departed H.H. Pope Shenouda III as a General Bishop assisting H.E. Metropolitan Pakhomious. His Holiness focused on childhood whether it was in the country-wide children’s festival as well when he was in charge of the children’s committee in the Holy Synod. Before assuming the papacy, H.H. wrote twelve books.
His Holiness was enthroned as the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Pope of the See of St. Mark on November 18, 2012 at the Cathedral of St. Rueiss in Abbassiya, Cairo. The enthronement was presided by H.E. Metropolitan Pakhomious of Beheira, other metropolitans and bishops of the Coptic church and was attended by many delegates of Christian Churches.
We pray that the Lord will bless our beloved shepherd, H.H. Pope Tawadros II, protect him, and preserve his life and services for his children all over the world.
Listening to the call of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Grace Bishop Youssef entered the monastic life in 1986 at the El-Souryan Monastery. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1988. Then in 1989, he came to the United States under the auspices of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of the Holy See of St. Mark. He was appointed resident priest to serve the Coptic congregation of St. Mary Church in Dallas/Fort Worth.
The Holy Virgin and St John Kame’ with St Ephraem the Syrian (to the right) and St Onuphrius the Anchorite (to the left) 19th century; El-Souryan Monastery.
The Holy Virgin and St John Kame’ with St Ephraem the Syrian
(to the right) and St Onuphrius the Anchorite (to the left)
19th century; El-Souryan Monastery.
In 1992, His Grace was ordained as General Bishop and in 1993, His Grace was appointed to oversee the Southern Coptic Diocese. In 1995, His Grace was enthroned as the first Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Then in 2022, His Grace was elevated to Metropolitan by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, the 118th Pope of the Holy See of St. Mark.
His Grace Bishop Basil was born and raised in New Jersey until our Lord Jesus Christ called him to enter the monastic life in 2008 at the St. Mary & St. Moses Abbey in Sandia, TX. He was consecrated a monk in 2009 and ordained into the priesthood in 2011. Then in 2016, His Grace Bishop Youssef appointed him Episcopal Vicar for the state of Florida. In 2018, His Grace was elevated to Hegumen and later that same year he was ordained as a General Bishop serving under the auspices of His Grace Bishop Youssef in the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States.
Fr. Fam Nicoula is the priest for St. Philopateer Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Churc located in Palm Habor, FL. H.G. Bishop Youssef ordained him priest, with the presence of H.G. Bishop Basil, and H.G. Bishop Gregory, on February 27, 2022. Fr. Fam has been serving within the Diocese of the Southern United States since February 27, 2022. We pray that the Lord will continue blessing his service.
If you would like to reach Fr. Fam Nicoula, he may be contacted by telephone at 813-528-2397 or by email at Fr.FamNicoula@gmail.com