As we have learned, the SOC Electoral Assembly most likely end of january or early February, and seven bishops have the best chance of being elected to one of the three candidates for patriarch. As Kurir, Porfirije, Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana, Jovan, Bishop of Šumadija, Irinej (Bulović), Bishop of Bačka, Jefrem, Bishop of Banja Luka, Chrysostom, Metropolitan of Dabro-Bosnia, Joanikije, Bishop of Budva-Nikšić and Administrator of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro, and Gregory, Bishop of Düsseldorf and Germany.
photo: Tanjug / Dimitrije Goll
The patriarch is elected by vote of the Assembly and the names of the three candidates with the highest number of votes (see box) are placed in envelopes, which are then extracted by one of the monks. As we found out, it should be the abbot of the monastery of San Sisoje Matej.
That’s how things are
– Of these seven bishops, bishops Joanikije and Jefrem will undoubtedly be two of the three candidates for patriarch. As for the third candidate, Irinej, Bishop of Bačka, and Porfirio can count on the same number of votes. However, as neither of them cares about that role, both are willing to turn in favor of the other if there is a situation where they have the same number of votes – says Kurir’s source from the Serbian Orthodox Church.
photo: Dado Đilas
According to our source, Bishop Joanikije has great support from those in Parliament close to Amfilohije, which is not a negligible number.
– Although Joanikije occupies a good place in Parliament, his disadvantage is that he is politically “aligned”. He is especially close to Mladjan Djordjevic, and Joanikije even baptized one of his sons. That is why Djordjevic is trying to push for him in every possible way. On the other hand, although Bishop Grigorije, by his latest statements, is considered an opponent, he pushes himself more for the position of candidate for patriarch than for lobbying for him. Gregory’s goal is to enter the election for patriarch, but of these seven, he has the least chance, our source notes.
photo: print screen
Religious analyst Draško Đenović recalls that Irinej (Bulović) has been seen in the role of patriarch several times, but that it does not have to mean anything, because outsiders were elected patriarch twice, that is, neither Irinej nor Pavle were favorites.
photo: Nemanja Pančić
What is an advantage for whom
– Porphyry has been mentioned for some time, but it is young, it is only 60 years old. Chrysostom belongs to the moderate current, however, he left his diocese during the war and, in my opinion, had to stay there at the cost of his life. Irinej runs his diocese in an organized way, during the last two patriarchs he was a gray eminence, says Đenović and adds:
– I think Joanikije will replace the Metropolitan Amfilohije before, and the greatest asset with Jefrem is that he is silent.
According to Zeljko Injac, a religious analyst, the next patriarch will be chosen from among Jovan Zulibrko, Ioaniki and Porfirio.
HOW THE PATRIARCH IS CHOSEN
The apostolic tie in the election of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, prescribed by the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, was introduced by the German Patriarch in 1967.
A patriarch can be anyone who has been a “diocesan bishop for at least five years”
Candidates (for patriarch) cannot be retired bishops
The procedure requires that the three candidates be chosen by secret ballot by the Holy Synod of Bishops.
When the names of those who received more than half of the votes are known, the election by lot begins, that is, to the “apostolic path.
Three names are placed on separate envelopes, and those of the gospel
In a specific part of the service, one of the monks chosen by the Council takes out an envelope under the cover of the Gospel with the name of the new patriarch.
The other two envelopes are opened at the same time. This is done so that all bishops are individually convinced of the regularity of the elections, as well as so that this is expressed in the minutes.
Irinej (Bulović), Bishop of Bačka
photo: Marina Lopicic
He was born in 1947 in Stanišić, in Bačka. He graduated from the Belgrade Faculty of Theology in 1969. He defended his doctoral thesis in 1980 in Athens. He was elected Bishop of Moravica in 1989, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch and in 1990 Bishop of Bačka. He is a member of several commissions, including the Orthodox Commission for Dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church. He is considered the most influential bishop in Parliament.
Porphyry, Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana
photo: Nemanja Pančić
He was born in 1961 in Becej. He graduated from the Belgrade Faculty of Orthodox Theology in 1986 and did postgraduate studies in Athens from 1986 to 1990. He was abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Archangels in Kovilj. He dedicated himself especially to the treatment of addicted people, which is why in 2005 he formed the therapeutic community Tierra de los Vivos, which is recognized as the most successful project for the treatment of drug addiction.
Jefrem, Bishop of Banja Luka
photo: The future of Serbia
– He was born in 1944 in a town near Prijedor. He was elected Vicar Bishop of Moravica in 1978. The ordination was performed on September 17, 1978 by the German Serbian Patriarch, Bishop Stefan of Zice, and Bishop Nikolaj of Dalmatia at the Belgrade Cathedral Church. After two years in Belgrade as Vicar Bishop, he was elected Bishop of Banja Luka in 1980.
Joanikije, Bishop of Budva-Niksic
photo: Marina Lopicic
He was born in 1959 in Velimlje. He studied philosophy at the Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy and at the Faculty of Theology of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In 2001, during the renewal of the Diocese of Budva-Niksic, the Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected Bishop Ioaniki first as its administrator and then in 2002 as its bishop. He is known in church circles as a calm and calm man. However, the bishop’s name appeared in the newspapers a few months ago because he was on the table at “Hyatt” with businessman Miodrag Dak Davidović, who is considered the financier of the opposition in Montenegro, at the time he was shot by a sniper. During litigation in Montenegro in May, he was arrested and spent 72 hours in custody.
Gregory, Bishop of the Diocese of Frankfurt and of all Germany
photo: Dado Đilas
He was born in 1967 in Vareš, central Bosnia. He graduated from the Faculty of Theology in 1994. Mgr. Grigorije was enthroned on the episcopal throne of the Diocese of Herzegovina in 1999. He received his doctorate in 2014. In May 2018, he was elected bishop of the Diocese of Frankfurt and of all Germany . However, he is better known for his appearances in the media than for his commitment to the Church. He is criticized for being too on the side of the opposition.
Chrysostom, Metropolitan of Dabro-Bosnia
photo: Nemanja Nikolić
He was born in 1952 in Vodenica near Bosanski Petrovac. In 1991, the Holy Synod of Bishops elected him as the first bishop of the newly created diocese of Bihać-Petrovac, where he spent 22 years. By decision of the Parliament in 2013, he was elected to the vacant chair of the bishops of Zvornik-Tuzla. After four years, he was elected Metropolitan of Dabro-Bosnia. He is considered a quiet and discreet man. He was chosen guardian of the patriarchal throne.
John, Bishop of Šumadija
photo: Nemanja Nikolić
He was born in 1950 in a town near Arilje. He enrolled in the Faculty of Theology in 1976 and graduated promptly. In Parliament in 1993, he was elected Bishop of Tetovo, with all the rights of a diocesan archbishop, to administer all the dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and vicar of the Serbian Patriarch Pavle. The following year, he was elected Archbishop of the Diocese of Western America. He was elected bishop of Šumadija in 2002.
Kurir.rs / Kurir team Photo: Kurir, Bućnost Srbije
