Five hierarchs apply for the post of head of the Orthodox Church of Greece

The five hierarchs of the Elladsky Orthodox Church intend to put their candidacy in the elections of the head of the Synod - the Archbishop of Athenian and All Hellas after the death of the previous archbishop of Christodula . This information has been distributed today by Greek state television with reference to church sources, RIA Novosti reports.

The previous archbishop of Elladsky Christol (Paraskeviadis) died last Monday from cancer at the 70th year of his life and was buried on the eve of Athens. The election of the new archbishop will take place on February 7.

Among the candidates for Archbishops are five bishops: Metropolitan Fessalonik Anfim, Metropolitan Evstafy, Metropolitan Fiva Jerome, Metropolitan Dimitris Ignatius and Metropolitan of Syrov Dorofei.

Currently, the Locumines of the Archbishopric Throne is Metropolitan Seraphim of the Caristian, but he does not plan to exhibit his candidacy when elevating the new Primate of the Church.

Two of the current candidates - the Metropolitans Jerome and Anfim - have already exhibited their candidacy in previous elections in 1998, but lost now the deceased archbishop of Khristodul. Metropolitan Jerome, according to the local press, provided himself with the support of at least 20 members of the Synod, the same applies to the influential Metropolitan of Sparta Evstafia. Following them is the Metropolitan Dimitris Ignatius, who occupies the very pulpit, which was occupied by the Archbishop of Christ for a quarter of a century. Finally, Metropolitan Dorofei, who held high positions in the Synod over the past years, has significant support.

One of the candidates, Metropolitan Anfim, the old ally of the late archbishop, has already managed to fall under the fire of criticism. The influential Communist Party of Greece called the “provocation” the fact that in the tombstone at the funeral of Archbishop Anfim mentioned among the presented leaders of the country and the former king of Greece Konstantin, who lost his authority thirty years ago as a result of a referendum. Metropolitan Anfim himself, in response to the accusations of the Communists, replied that "in Greece it is not customary to be afraid of" former. "

All five candidates avoid public statements and announcement of software provisions, counting on the support of colleagues-immemorials, expressed through intra-church procedures.

At a meeting of the Synod on February 7, 77 Metropolitans of the Elladsky Church will vote for the candidacy of the new Archbishop of Athens. Voting will take place in two rounds. To win the first round, the candidate will need to gain half the votes plus one vote. In the second round, one who gains a simple majority of votes will win. If in the second round two candidates receive the same number of votes, then, after prayer for the right choice, the members of the Synod will resort to lot.