Philenews

New Bishop of Paphos Likely to be Elected Directly by the Holy Synod

Published January 6, 2026, 07:22
New Bishop of Paphos Likely to be Elected Directly by the Holy Synod

Archbishop Georgios intends to submit a proposal to the Holy Synod for the direct election of Bishops and Metropolitans by the Synod itself, without the participation of lay people. If approved, this proposal will affect the election of the new Metropolitan of Paphos, who will succeed Metropolitan Tychikos. The purpose of the change is to avoid interference and select hierarchs who meet the criteria of the Church, both in terms of popular support and the ability to fulfill their duties. This process is already applied in the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, due to the special circumstances in Turkey. At the same time, the Archbishop wishes to maintain the participation of the people in the election of the Archbishop, as he believes that the Archbishop must express the will of the Church on important issues. This change is expected to end the controversies that arise during the elections to fill the thrones.