PAPHOS Bishop Chrysostomos was yesterday coy about the prospect of banding together with another candidate as the Church vote goes into a runoff.
Sunday’s free-for-all elections failed to produce a clear winner from the four bishops competing for the coveted throne.
The crucial stage will see 100 Electors from the laity and a body of ex officio clerics voting separately for a new Primate.
Because voting is secret, there are no guarantees that the electors or the clerics won’t switch allegiances.
A candidate must secure an absolute majority in both ballots to clinch the title. If not, the process is repeated.
Despite the bedlam on Election Day – ballots arriving late, empty or tampered with – Chrysostomos yesterday thanked all those involved for their efforts.
But he did not wish to comment on whether he would be striking an alliance with another bishop.
“It would not be wise to speak of these things at the moment,” he said, adding that the Synod first needed to ratify the results of Sunday’s vote before moving further.
“Given no one of the candidates has a strong majority, then yes, collaborations are legitimate,” he offered.
But he denied having been approached by another camp.
“After the Synod convenes, we are free to see one another and talk, because what we care the most about is the good of the Church,” he said.
Analysis of Sunday’s results shows that Athanassios and Nikiforos will get 45 Electors each, with Chrysostomos of Paphos having 10 Electors. With these 10 under his belt, Chrysostomos has the power to at least swing the vote.
But in order to be successful, a candidate needs significant support among the ex officio clergy, which include all the top bishops in the land.
In theory, it is possible for dark horse Chrysostomos to collaborate with Athanasios to throw Nikiforos – who controls the richest diocese – out of the race. That would leave the two of them to contest a final bout.
“The bottom line is, at the end of the day it is the least likely candidate who might become Archbishop,” sociologist Nicos Peristianis told the Mail.
“That could well be Chrysostomos, who might strike a bargain allowing him to become Archbishop for five years, after which he would be succeeded by his ally.
“It’s a good deal.”
Meanwhile the government said yesterday the administration was watching the process from afar and did not wish to get directly involved.
“The only thing the government has a right to do is express the hope everything goes smoothly… so that the new Archbishop will restore the prestige and unity of the Church,” said Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis.
