BELGRADE, Serbia — The Serbian Orthodox Church says moderate Bishop Irinej Gavrilovic has been elected as the new patriarch.
Irinej, 80, was picked today in a lottery-like draw among three candidates who were initially chosen in a secret ballot by 45 Holy Synod bishops.
He is considered a compromise candidate after a power struggle within the influential church between hard-liners and liberals over who will succeed Patriarch Pavle, who died last November after a long illness.
Irinej is the 45th Serbian patriarch.
Pavle, 95, highly popular among some seven million Serbian Orthodox Church followers because of his modesty, died Nov. 15 after a long illness.
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