Belgrade, February 11, 2021
Photo: b92.net
The Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church will meet next Thursday, February 18, to elect a new Patriarch. The session will be held in the crypt of the recently-finished St. Sava Cathedral in Belgrade, reports B92.
His Holiness Patriarch Irinej, who reposed on November 20, is buried in the crypt. According to the Serbian Church constitution, the election of a new Patriarch must take place within 3 months of the repose of the previous Patriarch.
This is the first time the Council will meet at a location outside the Patriarchate.
His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Dabar and Bosnia, the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne since the repose of Pat. Irinej, earlier said several locations, including the Cathedral, were being considered.
According to Serbian Church procedure, the bishops first choose three candidates from among themselves whose names are then placed in the Gospel book. A name is then drawn by a monk who is considered to be an authoritative cleric. As Met. Chrysostom earlier explained, this is done to prevent outside influence on the elections.
Met. Chrysostom expressed hope that the whole process will be completed in one day.
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