So, the Cardinal Electors are all in Rome, as are many of the older calrdinals who do not get to vote, but nonetheless may become pope or influence the decision of others. So who is representing this little flock of Catholic Christians (not necessarily Roman Catholic, of course) here in the great, big Middle East? Here is what I have found:
From Egypt, Antonio Naguib (نجيب), Patriarch emeritus of Alexandria of the Copts (Coptic Catholic Church), Egypt. Age 77.
From Iraq, Emmanuel Delly III, Patriarch Emeritus of Babylon of the Chaldeans (Chaldean Catholic Church), Iraq. Age 85.
From Lebanon: Bechara al-Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites (Maronite Catholic Church), Lebanon. Age 73.
Also from Lebanon: Nasrallah Sfeir, Patriarch emeritus of Antioch of the Maronites (Maronite Catholic Church), Lebanon. Age 92.
From Sudan: Gabriel Zubair Wako, Archbishop of Khartoum, Sudan. Age 72.
And that is all I think...am I missing anyone? No one at all from Israel, Iran, Jordan, Palestine or Syria?
Anyway, it does not appear that any of these people are actual Arabs (though they speak Arabic as their native tongue, likely). Naguib and Wako are Africans (yes, Copts are Africans), and the Maronites are descendents of the Phoenicians (not Arabs), and Delly is of the Chaldean Church meaning he is ethnically a Christian Kurd (aka Assyrian).
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