Election of new Bulgarian Orthodox Church Metropolitan of Vidin to be held on January 28
The election of a new Metropolitan of Vidin will be held on January 28 2018, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s governing body, the Holy Synod, said.
The election will shortlist two candidates from among five.
They are Bishop Daniel, vicar of the Metropolitan of the United States, Canada and Australia, Policarp, third vicar of the Plovdiv Metropolitan, Yerotey, vicar of the Sliven Metropolitan, Gerassim, chief secretary of the Holy Synod and Yakov, second vicar of the Plovdiv Metropolitan.
The election is being held to choose a successor to Vidin Metropolitan Dometian, who died in September 2017 at the age of 84.
Election day in the Vidin diocese will start with a divine liturgy at 9am, followed by a service at the grave of Metropolitan Dometian, while voting will begin at 11am.
On February 3, the Holy Synod will rule whether the January 28 elections were in accordance with canonical rules. If the elections are found to be in order, the Holy Synod will choose the new Metropolitan from among the two shortlisted candidates.
The election is being held more than a month past the three-month deadline prescibed by the statute of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The Synod previously ordered an investigation into the regularity of the elections of diocesan voters in the Vidin diocese. The check found no shortcomings.
The new Metropolitan of Vidin will become, ex officio, a member of the Holy Synod.
(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
