Two lead in archbishop race
Two favorites have emerged in the race to become the next archbishop of Greece, sources said yesterday, as one of the front-runners pleaded with all the candidates and the bishops that will be voting to conduct the election in a respectable manner. The bishop of Thebes, Ieronymos, and the bishop of Sparta, Efstathios, appear to be the two candidates most likely to fight it out to be the next head of the Church of Greece, sources indicated. The Holy Synod is due to convene in Athens tomorrow to elect a successor to Archbishop Christodoulos. A total of 75 bishops will cast their vote, as three have said they will not attend because of illness. The two other candidates that will stand in the election are bishop of Thessaloniki, Anthimos, and the bishop of Dimitrias, Ignatios. The last 24 hours has seen the four candidates canvasing support and trying to convince undecided bishops to vote for them. The process is being carried out in considerable secrecy as the candidates are worried about rivals trying to tempt their supporters to switch allegiance. A short memorial service for Archbishop Christodoulos was conducted at the First Cemetery in Athens yesterday. Meanwhile, the bishop of Thebes took the opportunity to urge there to be unity in the Church of Greece. «We all have a duty to make use of the legacy that the late archbishop left to the Church, working with love and harmony,» said Bishop Ieronymos.
