Election of Kaimakham, News, Baselios Church Digital Library, Malankara World

Election of Kaimakham

Universal Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church meeting at St. Aphrem Cathedral, Beirut. His Beatitude, the Catholicose Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I presided over the meeting.

Archbishop Mor Severius Jamil Hawa of Baghdad & Basra was elected as Locum Tenens (Kaimakham) as per Article 29 of the Constitution of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch by the Holy Synod held on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at St. Aphrem Cathedral, Beirut under the Presidentship of His Beatitude, the Catholicose Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I.

The Locum Tenens means "the place holder" (in Arabic Qa'im Maqam, in colloquial Qaymaqam or Kaimakham).

According to the Constitution of the Universal Syriac Othodox Church, the election of the Locum tenens (Kaimakham) must take place within seven (7) days by a majority vote of the bishops attending. The power of the Locum Tenens is very limited. Kaimakham is not permitted to leave the Patriarchate. He is not permitted to make any changes to the Patriarchate. He cannot ordain or take part in financial transactions (Article 32 of the Constitution). The main function of Kaimakham is to act as a 'place holder' to maintain the status quo and to convene a Holy Synod to elect the new Patriarch.

Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas LL Patriarch of Antioch and All The East & Universal Syriac Orthodox Church

Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
LL Patriarch of Antioch and All The East & Universal Syriac Orthodox Church