Politicians urged to keep out of Church elections

BISHOP Chrysostomos of Kiti yesterday joined his Paphos counterpart in warning political parties to stay out of the elections for the new Archbishop.

“As parties do not want clerics to intervene in their election campaigns so they have to respect the Church,” Chrysostomos said.

He pointed out there was a difference between expressing a view and mobilising to elect a president, or in this case, political parties electing the Archbishop.

Chrysostomos said the elections were in the hands of the people; in that sense the parties and the Church participated in the election of leaders and deputies, but they did not engage in campaigning.

Chrysostomos declined to disclose whether he would be running in the election, saying it was up to the people.

“If the people wish to propose someone, not only me, they are obliged to accept their selection,” Chrysostomos said.

The Holy Synod has already announced its decision to hold elections for the replacement of the ailing Archbishop by the summer.

Campaigning has been going on for a long time already with Bishop Nikiforos of Kykkos maintaining a steady lead, amid reports that the Bishops of Paphos and Limassol, who had been bitter rivals in the past, had forged an alliance to stop him from winning the throne.

The revelation was made by communist daily Haravghi, which insisted, despite denials, that the two clerics were co-operating.

This prompted the Bishop of Paphos to urge politicians to stay out of the race.

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