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Due to specific ecclesiastical and political circumstances in Montenegro, in the extraordinary session of the Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Bishop Joanikija of Budva-Niksic was yesterday elected administrator of the Metropolitanate de Montenegro-Primorje by urgent procedure.
After the death of Metropolitan Amfilohije, Bishop Ioanikije will lead the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Litoral, until a new metropolitan is elected.
The appointment of the administrator in the Metropolitanate was decided in an extraordinary session of the Synod convened urgently. Otherwise, the process of choosing a personal solution, but also the administration itself, under normal circumstances, takes more time. However, due to special and specific circumstances in the Metropolitanate area, which concern the church itself, but also political circumstances in Montenegro, Bishop Joanikije was appointed by emergency procedure.
The choice of Bishop Ioaniki is logical, because in addition to the late Metropolitan Amfilohije, he is the most knowledgeable person in Montenegro, not only in the last year, when he decided everything together with the Metropolitan and led the liturgy, but from the moment he was appointed bishop. Budimljansko-Nikšićkog.
Otherwise, the job of administrator can be assigned to any bishop.
HOW IS A METROPOLITAN CHOSEN?
The election of the metropolitan is only possible in the SOC Parliament. At the moment, there is no information on when Parliament could take place and if there will be a regular autumn session, which is usually in November.
The holding of Parliament is questionable mainly because of the corona virus epidemic, because bishops from almost all parts of the world should come to Belgrade.
However, the election of Bishop Ioaniki, as a personal solution for the performance of the function of administrator, does not require an urgent session of Parliament and the election of the future metropolitan.
ANOTHER CANDIDATE?
Monsignor Joanikije was seen as the future metropolitan, and during the metropolitan’s life she was considered the heir to the “throne of Cetinje”.
However, it remains to be seen if that will be the case, which means that the election of Bishop Ioaniki would have to reconcile different currents in the Serbian Orthodox Church.
As for Bishop Ioaniki, he has good relations with all the bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and that is a good recommendation for him so that his election can easily pass.
Only one candidate can be nominated for a metropolitan in Parliament itself, when it is voted by a “simple majority”.
When it comes to the election of the metropolitan, the name of Bishop Kiril Bojović, who is bishop of Buenos Aires and South America, is also mentioned.
By the way, the sister of Bishop Kiril, head of pulmonology at the Clinical Center of Montenegro, Jelena Bojović Borovinić, treated the metropolitan and was with him until the last moment. Bishop Kirilo was sent to the diocese of Buenos Aires and South America at the proposal of Metropolitan Amfilohije.
By the way, Kirilo graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Podgorica, and was educated in Belgrade and at Lomonosov University – Moscow State University in Moscow, where he graduated in 2008 from the Moscow Theological Academy.
In June 2013, the Metropolitan Amfilohije ordained him to the rank of Archimandrite and a year later he was appointed Deputy Archbishop of the Diocese of Buenos Aires and Central America South.
FORMAL PROCEDURE
According to the formal procedures of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the metropolitan, like all other hierarchs, is elected by the Parliament of the Serbian Orthodox Church under the presidency of Patriarch Irinej, and although he has no formal authority, the Council is expected to be included Episcopalian of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. Montenegro.
The election requires the presence of two thirds of all archbishops – bishops, metropolitans, patriarchs and archbishops, and if there is no unanimous decision, the vote is secret and the absolute majority of votes is decided.
If there is no absolute majority, the vote is between the two who obtained the most votes, and if the number of votes is the same, the patriarch decides.
The Episcopal Council includes Bishop Joanikije of Budva-Niksic, Bishop Dimitrije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina, Bishop Atanasija Rakita of Mileševo, retired Bishop Atanasija Jevtić and Bishop Metodije of Diocletian.
The Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Litoral, Amfilohije (83), died yesterday as a result of the coronavirus in the Clinical Center of Montenegro.
He will be buried on Sunday in the crypt of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgorica.
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