Pope Shenouda III was the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. His papacy lasted 40 years, 4 months, and 4 days, from 14 November 1971 until his death.

The pope, also known as the Bishop of Alexandria or the Coptic pope, is the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church, with ancient Christian roots in Egypt. The primacy in the Coptic pope, similar to the Catholic belief in the Bishop of Rome as successor to Saint Peter, is rooted in his role as successor to Saint Mark. The current holder of this position is Pope Tawadros II, who was selected as the 118th pope on November 18, 2012.