History
The early Christian Church recognized the special significance of several cities as leaders of the worldwide "catholic" (universal) Church. The Church of Alexandria is one of these original patriarchates, but the succession to the role of Patriarch in Alexandria is still disputed after the separation which followed the Council of Chalcedon.
The later development of the Pentarchy also granted secular recognition to these religious leaders. Because of this split, the leadership of this church is not part of this system.
Members of the church recognize its head as a successor of Mark the Evangelist, considered the first Bishop of Alexandria, who founded the Church in the 1st century, and therefore marked the beginning of Christianity in Africa.
Read more about this topic: Pope Of The Coptic Orthodox Church Of Alexandria
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