Around 44,000 eligible to vote in Sunday’s ballot for new Kition bishop

The first stage of elections, the first in 46 years, for a new Bishop of Kition begin on Sunday after the resignation of Bishop Chrysostomos in June.

Around 44,000 people are eligible to vote in the elections, CNA reported on Sunday.

The Church’s Holy Synod declared the seat of the Kition metropolitan vacant in June after the resignation of Chrysostomos. Chrysostomos had resigned because he felt he was “weakening” and he wanted to give someone younger the chance to do a more effective job.

According to Ioannis Charilaou the election overseer, the process will take place between 10am and 5pm, with a one-hour break between 1pm and 2pm
Charilaou told CNA a total of 58 special polling stations have been set up in 35 churches and parishes and three in Larnaca town at the bishopric.

All Orthodox Christians, over 18 years of age and resident in the Kition diocese for at least a year, are eligible to vote. There are 44,000 registered voters in the diocese.

Following the closure of the ballots, a vote count will be held in the polling stations and the results will be sent to the Archbishop as the ‘Monitor of the Metropolitan Throne’.

The second phase of the process provides for the election of the bishop by the Holy Synod on July 30 from the three top candidates who received the most votes, through a secret ballot for the 17 members of the Synod.

In the case of a tie, a new secret vote will be held to decide between the two.

The Synod also plans to honour the former bishop with the gold medal of Saint Varnavas, the highest award of the Church of Cyprus.

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