The Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria is the sole metropolitan see of the Coptic Catholic Church, a sui iuris particular church in full communion with the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It follows the Alexandrian Rite in its own Coptic language. Its archbishop is the superior of all Coptic Catholic dioceses, which are located in and around Egypt.
The patriarchate has two cathedrals, both in Egypt: Our Lady of Egypt in the national capital Cairo, and the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Alexandria.
It had three false starts, each failing to prove enduring.
In 1947 it was restored for good. It lost territories in Egypt repeatedly to establish suffragan sees of Alexandria as Metropolitan:
It enjoyed Papal visits from Pope John Paul II in February 2000 and from Pope Francis in April 2017.
The patriarchal see as such ranks third among all Catholic (arch)bishoprics of the world (only after the Apostolic See of Rome and the Catholic Patriarch of Constantinople), by the virtue of Canon Law (CCEO 58, 59.2).
His proper (arch)eparchy is the Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Alexandria, which has no other Ordinary than the Patriarch. However, he may appoint an Auxiliary bishop for the eparchy, distinct from Auxiliaries for the Patriarchate, as was the case with:
As of 2014, it served 35,865 Eastern Catholics in 31 parishes with 73 priests (41 diocesan, 32 religious), 209 lay religious (65 brothers, 144 sisters) and 5 seminarians.
It enjoyed a Papal visit from Pope Francis in April 2017.
Coptic Catholic Apostolic Vicars
Coptic Catholic Patriarchs of Alexandria
Patriarchate established in 1824 (by Pope Leo XII)
* <small>Numbering starts anew after the 24th Patriarch Cyril I, as later patriarchs are not recognized.</small>