President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a congratulatory cable to Coptic Orthodox Bishop Tawadros, who was chosen on Sunday as the church's 118th pope. Sheikh Khalifa expressed his sincere congratulations to the new Pope, and Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt and abroad, wishing him success in his new role. He also expressed confidence that Bishop Tawadros will contribute in strengthening and consolidating the bonds of national unity and the march of tolerance and coexistence between religions. Bishop Tawadros became Egypt's 118th Coptic pope after his name was pulled from a glass ballot box by a blindfolded child at Sunday's long-awaited 'Altar Lottery' at St Mark's Coptic Cathedral in Cairo's Abbasiya district. The new church head succeeds Pope Shenouda III, who passed away in March.mid-October.