According to Andria Jaghmaidze, Head of the Georgian Orthodox Church’s Public Relations Service, the bishops convened today to reach a final agreement on the date of the Extended Council.

Speaking to the media, Jaghmaidze added that the bishops also worked through all outstanding procedural matters, so that no ancillary questions would remain to be addressed during the Extended Session itself, and the Council could be devoted entirely to the election of the Patriarch.

“For that reason, a great many matters, the procedural sequence of events, ensuring that everything is unambiguously defined, required deliberation. That is precisely what today’s meeting of bishops was dedicated to. The question of delegates was also discussed, and it was agreed that representatives of the dioceses of the three Patriarchal candidates, that is, one representative per diocese, will be allowed to address the Council. Their right to speak is not restricted in principle, but the bishops have agreed that this is the more practical approach, given the very large number of representatives, and that an open floor could cause the session to run on considerably,” Jaghmaidze noted.

According to Jaghmaidze, should any of the three candidates receive more than fifty per cent of the votes, that is, twenty votes, no second round will be held.

“If none of the candidates receives twenty votes, then a ballot will be held between the two leading candidates, and the thirty-nine bishops will choose between those two,” Jaghmaidze stated.

In response to a journalist’s question as to whether the Extended Council would feature public addresses by the candidates and speeches by delegates, the head of the Patriarchate’s Public Relations Service indicated that there would be no live broadcast, though a recording would be made available afterwards.

Jaghmaidze also noted that the date of the new Patriarch’s enthronement will be determined after the election, as it is for the newly elected Patriarch to set the date.

On the question of allegations that have recently been circulating in connection with the candidates, Jaghmaidze responded:

“In general, I think the public is accustomed to secular elections and the confrontations that tend to accompany them. That is not what happens within the Synod. Even though there were some intemperate remarks and emotionally charged comments, today’s Synod was, it is fair to say, unanimous, united in the conviction that, just as the entire period since the Patriarch’s passing has unfolded with dignity, so too shall this election be conducted in an exemplary and worthy manner. That was the prevailing spirit, the central concern. Any attempts to portray division among the bishops are simply unfounded.”

For reference, the Extended Council of the Georgian Orthodox Church, at which a new Patriarch will be elected, will take place on May 11 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.