Cyprus Church picks theologian and chemistry teacher as new leader

Georgios, Cyprus’s newly-elected Archbishop, shortly after a secret ballot of the Church’s ruling Holy Synod, walks outside the Holy Archbishopric in Nicosia, Cyprus, December 24, 2022. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou

NICOSIA (Reuters) - The Church of Cyprus's ruling body on Saturday elected Georgios, a theologian and former chemistry teacher, as Archbishop of the centuries-old Church, replacing the late Chrysostomos II.

Georgios, 73, will lead the Greek Orthodox Church, which has wide political and social influence on the east Mediterranean island and interests from real estate investments to businesses.