Egypt's Coptic Catholic Church to participate in Vatican Papal elections

For the first time in 50 years, Egypt's Catholic Church will take part in the upcoming papal elections in the Vatican.

Spokesman of Egypt's Coptic Catholic Church Father Rafiq Greish announced Saturday that the Church's archbishop, Patriarch Antonios Naguib, will head to the Vatican Tuesday to attend the Papal conclave of the College of the Cardinals, during which the next Pope will be elected.

Bishop Antonios was appointed as a member of the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

Greish said that Bishop Antonios had received the invitation from the Vatican but was reluctant to make the visit due to his condition of health. Nonetheless, according to Greish, he informed Vatican officials that he would participate in this "important event of the history of the church."

Pope Benedict XVI resigned 1 March after nearly eight years in office, hinting at Vatican infighting in his farewell speech.