The Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church is meeting today to select three candidates for the Patriarchate. It will also announce the date of the enlarged council.

“A candidate must not be older than 70. As for education, when a person applies for a job, would they say: ‘I don’t have a diploma, but I am educated’? The Synod must strictly follow the governing statute,” said Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze, head of the Patriarchate’s Public Relations Service.

The issue of electing a new Patriarch arose after the passing of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, on March 17. Ilia II was buried on March 22 at the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral.