Levan Sutidze, a religious analyst and former altar server of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, comments on the meeting of the Holy Synod, where three candidates for the position of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia were named:
- Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu;
- Metropolitan Iov (Akiashvili) of Urbnisi and Ruisi;
- Metropolitan Grigol (Berbichashvili) of Poti and Khobi.
The editor-in-chief of Tabula points out that at the start of the campaign, Metropolitan Shio did not have 20 votes, and states that the locum tenens (acting head of the church) increased his support during the process.
“More than one bishop stated this publicly, and his support was assessed similarly by his opponents within the Holy Synod. Metropolitan Shio’s victory was also aided by the perception that he was winning. This perception was shaped even by those who do not sympathize with Metropolitan Shio.
<…> Our sources (Tabula’s sources — Ed.), representing Metropolitan Shio’s rivals, counted a steady 16 votes for him by the end of the campaign. If this is correct, Metropolitan Shio managed to attract another 4 votes.
With the help of these sources, we accurately predicted the three patriarchal candidates, but it appears they overestimated their own strength at that moment.
…Other Tabula sources supporting the locum tenens claimed that victory would be achieved in the first round. It was this minority that turned out to be right,” Sutidze writes.
The analyst writes that one of the key factors in Locum Tenens Shio’s success was also the disorganized campaign of his coalition, which introduced a completely new figure into the process at the last moment and helped the locum tenens’ supporters sideline Metropolitans Daniel and Isaia.
The Phenomenon of the Patriarch: The Era of Ilia II in Georgia
Sutidze suggests that if Shio III becomes the 142nd primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the first round of the expanded assembly, he will have to govern the Synod with an extremely unstable majority.
“…Just as it would be with the victory of any candidate. This signifies a new reality in the Orthodox Church, though this was already known. Metropolitan Shio is 57 years old, and given his age, he could lead the church for another 30–40 years, which means a very long patriarchal term.
If elected, Shio III will also have to be the patriarch for those who are very, very frightened by his patriarchate. In principle, if he is elected, he will have plenty, plenty of time for that,” Levan Sutidze writes.
The Synod has named three candidates for the post of the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
