Meanwhile, Bishop Pachomius said there is no one speaking on behalf of the church or claiming he represented Copts, adding no instructions were made to favor any of the candidates to the papal chair.

Priest Angelus, the secretary of Bishop Pachomius, denied reports claiming the acting patriarch’s approval to run for the post of pope, adding the persons recommended for the position will be named by the Holy Synod next week. [Author Not Mentioned, al-Akhbār, May 10, p. 3] Read text in Arabic