At the expanded meeting of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) was elected as the new - 142nd Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia.
Modern.az reports with reference to foreign media that Metropolitan Shio's candidacy was supported by 22 clergymen (archbishops).
At a closed meeting held today at the Holy Trinity Cathedral Church in Sameba, the expanded assembly of the Georgian Orthodox Church elected Metropolitan Shio as the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
He won against his rivals Metropolitan Job of Ruis-Urbnisi and Metropolitan Grigol of Poti and Khobi.
The expanded assembly includes all members of the Holy Synod, two clergymen and one religious figure from each eparchy. The Mtskheta-Tbilisi Eparchy is represented by as many delegates as all other eparchies combined. The expanded assembly also includes two representatives from each monastery, theological academy and seminary, as well as four representatives from the Gelati Academy.
Approximately 1200 delegates from all over the country will gather at the Sameba Cathedral to elect one of the three candidates.
It should be noted that in the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Catholicos-Patriarch is considered the supreme religious leader of the country.
