Patriarch to be elected on Jan. 22

The new patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) will be elected at the Election Assembly which begins January 22, says Bishop of Dalmatia Fotije. “All 45 bishops of Serbian Orthodox Church will be invited and will attend the Election Assembly. If an archbishop cannot attend, he will entrust his vote in some of the bishops,” Fotije told Belgrade daily Blic. Patriarch to be elected on Jan. 22 The Election Assembly must begin according to the valid procedure – with a triple candidacy. One out of three candidates is drawn, the bishop explained, adding that the Church Constitution could only be changed if the new patriarch were not elected. “This is possible if none of the candidates receives enough votes, because one candidate must have 50 percent plus one vote to enter the triple candidacy. Hypothetically, if we do not have three candidates with enough votes, we must use another procedure which is defined by the Assembly,” Fotije said. The 44th Serbian patriarch, His Holiness Pavle, passed away in Belgrade on November 15.

Patriarch to be elected on Jan. 22

The Election Assembly must begin according to the valid procedure – with a triple candidacy.

One out of three candidates is drawn, the bishop explained, adding that the Church Constitution could only be changed if the new patriarch were not elected.

“This is possible if none of the candidates receives enough votes, because one candidate must have 50 percent plus one vote to enter the triple candidacy. Hypothetically, if we do not have three candidates with enough votes, we must use another procedure which is defined by the Assembly,” Fotije said.

The 44th Serbian patriarch, His Holiness Pavle, passed away in Belgrade on November 15.