Archimandrite Grigorios Ioannidis elected new Metropolitan of Paphos

The Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus has elected Archimandrite Grigorios Ioannidis, Protosyncellus of the Metropolis of Trimythous and Dean of the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus, as the new Metropolitan of Paphos.

The election was held in accordance with the provisions of the new Charter of the Church of Cyprus, which provides for a secret ballot by members of the Holy Synod. According to ecclesiastical sources cited by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), each of the 16 Synod members received an officially sealed blank paper on which they wrote the name of their preferred candidate for the Metropolitan Throne of Paphos.

Among those who had submitted candidacies were Archimandrite Ioannis, Abbot of the Stavropegial Monastery of Apostle Barnabas; Monk Sophronios of the Monastery of Panagia Trooditissa; Archimandrite Grigorios Ioannidis; and Archimandrite Ioannis Theocharous, Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis of Paphos.

Under the Church’s regulations, eligible candidates for the episcopacy must be unmarried clergy or monks who hold a degree from a recognized Orthodox theological school, have at least ten years of distinguished ecclesiastical or monastic service, and…