Round two of voting expected to bring Athanasios closer to bishopric

ABBOT Athanasios of Machairas monastery is expected to move a step closer to becoming the next Bishop of Limassol in today’s second round of Church elections.

Despite the sordid attacks directed his way by the Bishop of Paphos, parishioners of the Limassol diocese showed overwhelming support for the abbot in the first round of elections on January 17 – giving 150 of the 200 special elector positions to his supporters.

This morning, the 200 special electors vote for 50 among their number to act as general electors in the next round of voting. In mid-February these general electors will, along with 22 electors chosen by the Church from among the clergy, vote for a replacement for Chrysanthos, the disgraced former Bishop of Limassol.

Abbot Athanasios, who by virtue of his position will be among the 22 Church- appointed electors, is seen as odds-on favourite for next Bishop.

The run-up to this month’s elections was marred by Bishop Chrysostomos of Paphos alleging that Athanasios’ mentor, 80-year-old elder Iosif of the Mount Athos monastery of Vatopedhi, was a pervert who had molested nuns and young girls during his stay in Paphos 17 years ago. A Holy Synod investigation found Chrysostomos’s claims against Iosif justified, while Vatopedhi monastery has threatened to sue Bishop Chrysostomos for libel.

Bishop Chrysostomos last week made it clear he would be boycotting Athanasios’ enthronement should he be elected.

The elections for new bishop were announced in November last year after Chrysanthos was suspended over alleged involvement in multi-million-pound financial scams in Cyprus and abroad.

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