Holy Synod decides to increase church districts to 12

The Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus decided today to increase the number of the Bishoprics and Suffragan Bishoprics to 12.
The members of the Holy Synod decided today during a long meeting they held at the Archbishopric in Nicosia, to establish six more church districts namely Constantia, Tamassos, Myrianthousi, Trimithous Carpasia and Arsinoe.
“The new Bishoprics and Suffragan Bishoprics, apart from the Holy Archbishopric and the existing five Bishoprics, are: Constantia, Tamassos, Myrianthousi, Trimithounta, Karpasia and Arsinoe”, stated Bishop of Paphos Georgios after the long meeting.
Invited to say whether the new church districts will be named Bishoprics or Suffragan Bishoprics, he said ”this will be clarified in the future. The Holy Synod has not decided yet.”
Regarding the procedures for the election of the new Bishops and Suffragan Bishops, he said that it is up to Archibishop Chrysostomos to decide when they will take place.
The next meeting of the Holy Synod will take place in March.
The Holy Synod consists now of the Archbishop of Cyprus as the Head of the Holy Synod, the Bishops of Paphos, Kition, Kyrenia, Limassol and Morphou, the Suffragan Bishops of Salamis, Trimithous and Arsinoe and the Bishop of Kykkos.
The Church of Cyprus is autocephalous and its head enjoys exceptional privileges (signs in red ink, wears special empirical tunic at important church ceremonies and holds a scepter).
The Church was announced autocephalous in 478 AD when the remains of its founder, Saint Barnabas, were located on the island, in a tomb together with a copy of the gospel by Saint Mathew.