The Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria is the Patriarchal and only Metropolitan see of the head of the Eastern sui iuris Coptic Catholic Church, a particular Church in the Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See, which follows the Alexandrian Rite in its own Coptic language.
It lost territories in Egypt repeatedly to establish suffragan sees of Alexandria as Metropolitan: It enjoyed Papal visits from Pope John Paul II in February 2000 and from Pope Francis in April 2017.
The patriarchal see as such ranks third among all Catholic (arch)bishoprics of the world (only after the Apostolic See of Rome and the Catholic Patriarch of Constantinople), by the virtue of Canon Law (CCEO 58, 59.2).
However, he may appoint an Auxiliary bishop for the eparchy, distinct from Auxiliaries for the Patriarchate, as was the case with: As of 2014, it served 35,865 Eastern Catholics in 31 parishes with 73 priests (41 diocesan, 32 religious), 209 lay religious (65 brothers, 144 sisters) and 5 seminarians.
It enjoyed a Papal visit from Pope Francis in April 2017.