Cyprus-Forum.com

[bungle]

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) -- The Church of Cyprus on Sunday elected its first new leader in 29 years.

Paphos Metropolitan Chrysostomos, 65, was elected archbishop after winning a runoff vote against Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol.

The process of replacing former Archbishop Chrysostomos started on Sept. 24.

Chrysostomos, 79, is reportedly suffering from Alzheimer's disease and had not been able to carry out his duties on the Mediterranean island for several years.

In May, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the Istanbul-based spiritual leader of the world's 250 million Orthodox Christians, chaired a meeting of church elders which called for Chrysostomos' "honorary removal."

The elder Chrysostomos held the Church of Cyprus' senior position since 1977.

The church maintains a powerful influence among the 750,000 Greek Cypriots and plays a strong role in political issues. It is the biggest landowner on the island and has investments in banking, hotels and even wine and beer production.

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been divided -- into a Greek-Cypriot south and internationally isolated Turkish-Cypriot north -- since Turkey invaded in 1974 after a short-lived coup backed by supporters of union with Greece.

[Sotos]

One Chrysostomos gone new came. So basically one of the same. Church is about manipulations. So he is the right person at the right place