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.

Seniority

According to Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria traditions, the pope, being the bishop of Alexandria and being the senior and elder bishop and the metropolitan archbishop of the province and primate of all Egypt, is the head of the Holy Synod as a first among equals. The most senior position after the pope was that of the metropolitan archbishop of Pentapolis, but since it ceased to be a major archiepiscopal metropolis in the days of Pope John VI it has been held as a titular see attached to another metropolis.

There is a special status of seniority of honor and precedence for the metropolitan archbishop of the Holy and Great City of Our Lord, Jerusalem, Holy Zion, archbishop of the Holy Archdiocese of Jerusalem, All Palestine, Philadelphia of Jordan and All the Near East.

This great archdiocesan metropolis is technically outside the Egyptian Province and is not considered to be within the jurisdiction of the pope of Alexandria, but is one of the possessions of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It was created by Pope Cyril III (1235–1243) in the thirteenth century, which, at that time, had caused a dispute between the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch.History of the Coptic Church, Iris Habib Elmasry This was a very rare incident between the two sister churches as in general their relationship is one of the strongest between any two sister churches.History of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Abouna Menassa Elkomos Youhanna 1923

According to the Alexandrine tradition, the rank of metropolitan bishop is granted by the pope to the diocesan bishops under his jurisdiction on a personal status (In Personam) and not due to the size or importance of the bishop's eparchy; however, the rank of metropolitan archbishop is granted to those whose archdioceses have historical importance and had or have more than one suffragan diocese within their territorial jurisdictions.

The Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan Archbishop of Jerusalem is the only Coptic Orthodox hierarch who is consecrated as a metropolitan archbishop without being consecrated first as a bishop and later elevated to metropolitan archbishop, as is the norm in all episcopal consecration according to the tradition of the Church of Alexandria; it is done concurrently on the same occasion. This has been the case since Cyril III consecrated Metropolitan Archbishop Basilius as the first Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan Archbishop of Jerusalem and All the Near East.

Usually the chosen hieromonk is consecrated first as a diocesan bishop, then with time, he could be awarded the higher dignity of metropolitan bishop. Sometimes the nominated diocesan bishop is already an assistant bishop, auxiliary bishop or general bishop, in which case he is only enthroned as the bishop of that diocese.

Currently, and because the seniority of the members of the Holy Synod is decided according to the seniority of the consecretion/elevation date of the ecclesiastical ranks: First come the metropolitan archbishops and metropolitan bishops, followed by the diocesan bishops then the bishops exarchs of the throne, then the suffragan bishops, then the auxiliary bishops, then the general bishops and finally the chorbishops but also according to the date of consecration within each rank.

Accordingly, the most senior position after the pope is the oldest consecrated metropolitan archbishop, who was Metropolitan Pachomios, the metropolitan archbishop of the Holy Metropolis of Damanhur (Hermopolis Parva) and Beheira (Consecrated in 1990).

In spite of the ancient Alexandrine tradition, the most senior hierarch, after the senior hierarch of Pentapolis, is the hierarch of the Metropolis of Lycopolis, Hieracon and Apollonopolis Parva, which is Asyut; but since the great and ancient Titular Metropolis of Pentapolis in Cyrenaica, that comprises the Holy Suffragan Dioceses of Cyrene, Appollonia, Ptolemais, Berenice and Arsinoe, is currently a Titular title, incorporated within the jurisdiction of the metropolitan archbishop of the Holy Metropolis of Beheira Hermopolis Parva, Buto, Naucratis, Mariout Mareotis, Marsa Matruh Paraetonium, Apis; who is also the titular archbishop and patriarchal exarch of the Ancient and Holy Titular Archdiocese of Libya, comprising the titular suffragan dioceses of Livis, Marmarica, Darnis, Neapolis and Tripolitania; of the Ancient and Holy Exarchate of Africa in Tunisia, comprising the Titular and Holy Suffragan dioceses of Mauretania Tingitana and Mauretania Caesariensis and of the Ancient and Holy Titular Metropolis of Numedia in Algeria and Morocco that includes the Titular and Holy Suffragan dioceses of Leptis Parva and of Hadramentum. Accordingly, that honor goes to the Hierarch of the Metropolis of Lycopolis, Hieracon and Apollonopolis Parva apart from the fact of the current adoption of the seniority of the date of consecration of the later hierarch.

The most senior bishop in consecration will become the Locum tenens in case of the death of the pope and until the election of the new pope, and he will be the one who enthrones the newly elected pope along with all the hierarchs, who are members of the Holy Synod.

This seniority ranking system does not diminish the importance and the greatness of the Archdiocese of Jerusalem and All the Near East, since its inclusion under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Church of Alexandria in early medieval times. The archiepiscopal status of this great metropolis is also granted due to the Holy Apostolic Throne that it represents, being the Apostolic and Patriarchal Throne of Jerusalem, although its metropolitan archbishop does not claim that title and is under the jurisdiction of the Holy Apostolic Throne of Alexandria.

Gallery A Gallery of the Coptic Holy Synod of Egypt (All Coptic Bishops) (external link)

A Gallery of the Members of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria In order of date of consecration in Arabic and English (external link)

Chair and members of the Synod

Pontiff Chairman of The Synod

1) Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria

Pope and Lord Archbishop of the Great and Holy Metropolitan Archdiocese of Alexandria (Rhakotis), being: The metropolitan of the Holy, Great and Ancient Metropolitan Archdiocese of Alexandria (Rhakotis), comprising: The Great and Ancient Metropolis of Alexandria, which includes: The Titular and Holy Suffragan Diocese of Canopus (Aboukir). The Titular and Holy Suffragan Diocese of Menelaus. The Titular and Holy Suffragan Diocese of Schedia. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of El-Montazah District. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of the Western District The metropolitan of the Metropolitan Province of Greater Cairo comprising: The Holy Archdiocese of Cairo (Augustamnica Ægypti), which includes: The Holy Suffragan Diocese of East of the Railroad District in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of El Salam City (Irinipolis) in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Central (Down Town) Cairo and of Heliopolis in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Ezbet El Nakhl in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Old Cairo (Babylon), Manial and Fum El Khalig in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of El-Mokattam Mountain in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Northern & Southern Shoubra in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Hadayek El-Kobba, El-Wailly & Mansheyat El-Sadr in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of El-Hagana & Almaza in Cairo. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Ain Shams & El-Matareya in Cairo. The metropolitan archbishop of the Archdiocese of North America, which includes: The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Alexandria and all Virginia, USA Elder and chief metropolitan archbishop of all the Egyptian Provinces. Primate of all Egypt, Pentapolis, Libya, Nubia and the Sudan. Patriarch of All Africa on the Throne of the Apostolic See of St. Mark the Evangelist, the Holy Apostle and Martyr.

Metropolitan archbishops of the throne and metropolitan bishops of the throne

2) Antonius, most senior and elder metropolitan archbishop of the Holy and Great City of Our Lord, Jerusalem (Holy Zion); Archbishop of the Holy and Ancient Archdiocese of Jerusalem, all Palestine and the Near East comprising: The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Philadelphia of Jordan. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Lebanon and Greater Mesopotamia, comprising Syria, Iraq & Kuwait.

3) Wissa (Besa), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of el-Balyana (Abydos), comprising:

The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Berdis. The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Awlad Tookh and its jurisdictions.

4) Paphnutius, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Samalut and Taha El Aameda.

5) Benyamin (Benjamin), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Al Minufiyah (Prosopolis).

6) Tadros (Theodoros), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Port Said (Pelusium). Being also the titular bishop of:

The Titular and Holy Suffragan Diocese of (Tahpanhes). The Titular and Holy Suffragan Diocese of (Phacusa). The Titular and Holy Suffragan Diocese of (Farama).

7) Serapion, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Los Angeles, all Southern California and Hawaii, USA. Being also the abbot of the Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great in Barstow, California, United States.

8) Paula (Paul), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Tanta.

9) Pissada, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Akhmim (Panopolis), Saqualta and the Holy Monasteries of Mount Akhmim in Upper Egypt.

10) Andrawis (Andrew), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Abutig, Sedfa and el Ghanayem.

11) Ashe’yia (Isaiah), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Tahta, Juhayna and Gabalein (Aphroditopolis & Hispis (Pathyris))

12) Markos (Mark), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Shubra el-Kheima.

13) Abram, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Faiyum. Being also the abbot of the Monastery of Archangel Gabriel in the Naqloun Mountain, Central Egypt.

14) Barsoum (Parsoma), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Dairut and Sanabou.

15) Demetrios, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Mallawi, comprising the following:

The Holy Suffragan Diocese of Ansena (Antinoopolis). The Holy Suffragan Diocese of El Ashmunein (Hermopolis Magna).

Being also the abbot of the Monastery of Saint Fana, Upper Egypt.

16) Bakhoum (Pachomius), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Sohag (Athribis), comprising the following:

The Holy Suffragan Diocese of el-Mansha (Ptolemais Hermiou). The Holy Suffragan Diocese of el-Maragha.

17) Thomas, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of el-Qusiya (Qis) and Meir.

18) Daniel, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Maadi & El-Basateen,

19) Cheroubim (Cherubim), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Qena, comprising the Holy Suffragan Diocese of Qift (Coptos) and its jurisdictions

20) Pimen, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Naqada (Ombos), comprising the Holy Suffragan Diocese of Qus (Apollonopolis Parva).

21) Takla (Thekla), metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Dishna, comprising the Holy Suffragan Diocese of Dendera (Tentyris) and its jurisdictions.

22) Maximos, metropolitan bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Banha (Leontopolis), comprising the Holy Suffragan Diocese of Quouwaysena (Athribis).