Sanctus – Clark Jefferson, Archbishop of Newcastle in Libertas Omnium Maximus, was late yesterday evening elected by the Synod of Bishops of the Sanctarian Catholic Church, also known as the Church of Sanctaria, to be the 128th Patriarch. It was the third attempt by the Synod since the death of Patriarch Luke VI in early January to elect a leader for the world’s quarter of a billion Catholics, with the body finally succeeding at 10:30pm. Jefferson’s translation to the See of Sanctus, and as a result the Patriarchy, took effect immediately, with the cleric taking the regnal name Patrick X.
Patrick X, at 52, will be the youngest leader of the body since Patriarch Christopher I who was appointed Archbishop of Sanctus at 51 back in 1043. It also marks the first time that the Synod of Bishops have chosen a bishop from a See outside of Sanctaria to become leader of the Church, an acknowledgement some might say that the future of the Church may lie outside of the ever secularising Sanctaria. Patrick is also a relatively new bishop, having only been appointed to the episcopate in 2020.
Though some commentators have suggested he was a compromise candidate, elected on the third ballot, sources in the Church of Sanctaria have indicated to the contrary, and that he was a leader in the first two ballots, with the third ballot being decisive only because of a larger field of candidates than is typical. The election was held in secret by the Synod of Bishops, with no one willing to speak on record in order to preserve the sanctity of the process.
In stark contrast to the previous two deeply conservative Patriarchs, Simon XVI and Luke VI, Patrick X is noted to be more progressive, albeit by religious scholars’ definitions. He is on record of being supportive of allowing priests to marry, though he does maintain it would disqualify them from further progression (i.e. to the episcopate) in the Church. He also believes that the Church should be more welcoming to LGBTQ+ individuals, and those born out of wedlock; he, like the vast majority of the Synod of Bishops, however, remains opposed to same-sex marriage.
Patrick’s translation from the See of Newcastle to the See of Sanctus took place immediately upon his election, with his formal enthronement as Patriarch of the Church of Sanctaria already scheduled to take place in May. Though not confirmed, he is likely to return to Newcastle for a homecoming before permanently moving to Sanctus sometime in the next weeks. It is understood that the Church has already been in contact with the Sanctarian Government in order to arrange fast-tracked permanent residency or even, some have suggested, an immediate granting of citizenship in order to remain in the nation.
EDWARD ALLENS, Religion Correspondent
