Pope Shenouda III, born Nazeer Gayed Roufail, 3 August 1923 17 March 2012, was the 117th Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic Seat of Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. He was also the head of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. He was a conservative figure within the Church, and also respected within the Muslim community.