Bishop Serapion of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Los Angeles said he does not rule out that bishops and metropolitans would try to impress the voters into electing certain candidates they think the best to lead the church in the coming stage.

“The Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the few churches that hold in high esteem the role of the laymen and seek their participation in the election of the pope, the highest priestly rank. The 1957 statute the church sticks to in the election process includes a key role by the members of the Millī Council and Coptic ministers and members of the Syndicate of Journalists,” said Bishop Serapion, who is also a member of the patriarchic post nominations committee, in statements to the Egyptian Middle East News Agency (MENA). [Author Not Mentioned, al-Ahrām, April 1, p. 3] Read original text in Arabic