Filenews 19 December 2022 - by Vassos Vassiliou
Week of passions for the Metropolitans of Paphos Georgios, Limassol Athanasios and Tamassos Isaiah, a few days before Christmas, although all possibilities are open, even the appointment of an Archbishop by the Synod in the first round.
Based on the data as they emerge from the background, the Metropolitan Bishop of Paphos Georgios is said to have the support of seven Synodals which may increase after yesterday's exclusion of the Metropolitans of Constantia and Famagusta Vasileios and Morphou Neophytou. If the two Metropolitans act on the basis of what they imagined before yesterday's elections, then perhaps Pafos Georgios will be elected Archbishop from the first round.
The seven votes he is said to secure are his own, and the votes of the Metropolitans of Kition Nektarios, Trimythountos Varnava, and the Bishops of Karpasia Christoforou, Arsinoe Pagrati, Chytron Leontios and Mesaoria Gregoriou. The other two that can be added (without taking anything for granted) are the Metropolitans of Constance Vasileios and Morphou Neophytos.
In the first round as expected, the Metropolitan of Limassol Athanasios will receive four votes, namely his own and the votes of the Bishops Ledra Epiphaniou, Neapolis Porfiriou and Amathous Nikolaou.
Metropolitan Tamassos is expected to get his own vote, the vote of Metropolitan Kykkos and Metropolitan Chrysostomou of Kyrenia, who also maintains good relations with Limassol Athanasios.
However, for some there is also a second round scenario, however complex this possibility may seem. Based on this approach, Limassol Athanasios may vote in addition to his three own Bishops (Ledra, Neapolis and Amathus) and the Metropolitans of Kyrenia, Kykkos, Tamassos, Constance and Morphou, when he is elected.
However, the two scenarios do not include the case of abstention.
It is noted that Kykkotes (Kykkou and Tamassos) have differences with both shortlisted candidates. Differences arose with Pafos Georgios from the previous elections for the Archbishop, when Pafos Georgios was the right hand of the then Metropolitan of Pafos Chrysostomos and later Archbishop, playing an important role in his election. As it is known, at that time the Metropolitans of Paphos Chrysostomos and Limassol Athanasios participated in the elections, leaving out Kykkos Nikiforos, who had gathered a large number of votes and representatives. After his disqualification, he reacted strongly, but having no other choice, he voted for Chrysostomos Pafos, who was elected, with the exclusion of the Metropolitan of Limassol. Kykkos Nikiforos never forgot what happened then and proof of this is his statements yesterday. Specifically, referring to the 2006 elections, he said, among other things, the following: "It was a travesty of elections and a mockery of the people, since the benevolence was raw and overt, and even under the indifferent gazes of a guilty state."
After that and despite his differences with Limassol Athanasios, gradually the two Metropolitans began to approach each other and at some stage, they had reached an agreement to support Limassol for the throne. They sided on a number of issues, including the Ukrainian one, on which they disagreed with Archbishop Chrysostom's decision to recognize Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kiev. In fact, the Ukrainian was the reason for them to stop colluding with the former Archbishop. Everything was turned upside down when Limassol Athanasios attended, on his own initiative, (without consultation with the Kykkotes) the naming ceremonies of the Archbishop with whom he gathered. Somewhere there the glass overflowed and Kykkos Nikephoros persuaded Tamassos Isaiah to claim the throne.
The days ahead are seen by some as important in the sense that efforts will be made to find common ground for alliances. The weight of the sovereigns for the throne, namely the Metropolitans of Limassol and Pafos, will be thrown to the Metropolitans of Constantia Vasileios and Morphou Neophytos.
As "F" is informed, to a large extent the battle seems to have been decided. Some contacts are already under way. On Thursday, the Synod also meets and during the session of the body the date of election will be set, which will take place between Christmas and New Year's Day, with the most likely dates being December 27 or 28.
