A delegation will not go to Jerusalem for the Holy Fire because of the war in Gaza
The Holy Synod excluded the names of the two bishops who were named in the scandalous elections in the diocese in February from the list for election of the Metropolitan of Sliven.
It is about Agathopol Bishop Hieroteus, who was the favorite of the Sliven voters for the bishop, and about Constantius Bishop Michael, whom the locals agreed to nominate as a runner-up in order to twist the arms of the Holy Synod in this way and ultimately be elected first.
This led to turmoil and sedition, and initially an ordinance was passed that excluded parishioners from participating in the election of a bishop. There followed a protest against her and a counter-protest in front of the Synod Palace in Sofia, a priest’s hunger strike in Sliven and accusations in the media, which revealed abuses and big business interests in the diocese. It is the richest in our country and includes lands along the Southern Black Sea coast.
In the end, the controversial ordinance was canceled, and the cashed elections were scheduled for May according to the old rules (according to the statute of the BOC). But the Holy Synod will conduct an audit of the diocese and check the lists of voters, as well as the affairs of Bishop Hierotei, who in recent years has also been the abbot of the Pomorie Monastery.
According to the decision of the Synod announced yesterday, there are 6 candidates for the upcoming elections in Sliven. These are Bishop Sioni of Veliki – abbot of the Bachkovo and Troyan monasteries, Bishop Arseniy of Znepol – vicar of the Metropolitan of Plovdiv, Bishop Gerasim of Melnysh – chief secretary of the Holy Synod, Bishop Pakhomiy of Branitsa – rector of the Sofia Theological Seminary, Bishop Makariy of Glavinitsa – vicar of the Metropolitan of Ruse , and Bishop Isaac of Velbazhda – second vicar of the widowed Sofia Metropolitan Cathedral.
The list for the previous elections, which were canceled, contained a total of 10 names. In addition to the previous finalists Hierotei and Mihail, two more candidates – Belogradchisk bishop Polycarp and Smolensk bishop Visarion – have dropped out of it for the new elections in Sliven.
At its meeting, the Holy Synod also decided not to send a special delegation and a plane to Israel to receive the Blessed Sacrament from the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem because of the military situation there and the complicated situation with the war in Gaza.
Tags: Synod removed vote bishops played canceled elections Sliven Metropolitan Review
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