Ordinations of the Bishops-elect of Asterion and Neochorion on 10 and 11 October

The Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece convened today, Thursday, 8 October 2026, for its third Regular Session. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece presided in the Synod Hall of the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy.

After the prayer, the roll of the Hierarchs present was read, and a quorum was established. The Minutes of yesterday’s Session were then approved.

In accordance with the Agenda, Metropolitan Symeon of Nea Smyrni presented his Report on “The pending matter of the ordination to the episcopate of the Bishop-elect of Asterion, Christodoulos Kotsifis.”

Following the Report, the President proposed the following solution to the ecclesiastical issue:

a) If the Bishop-elect of Asterion, Christodoulos Kotsifis, withdraws his acceptance of his election, the candidate who received the second-highest number of votes, Archimandrite Kallinikos Nikolaou, will be elected.

b) If this proposal is accepted, Archimandrite Christodoulos Kotsifis will be elected Auxiliary Bishop to the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, with the title of the once-illustrious Diocese of Neochorion.

After extensive discussion, the Archbishop’s proposal was unanimously approved. In…