English Wall

The conclave, which lasted only 4-hours, was held Thursday at Athen's main cathedral. The new archbishop was elected in the second round of voting and received 45 votes out of a possible 75.

After the results were announced, the 20th archbishop elected to lead the Greek Church said, "I accept this high office and honor to uphold the holy traditions of the Greek Orthodox Church."

Archbishop Christodoulos, who was head of the see since 1998, died Jan. 27 after a 7-month battle with cancer. He was 69.

According to reports of the international agencies and local sources, Archbishop Ieronymos, 70, helped Archbishop Christodoulos in his steps of opening dialogue with the Catholic Church, which had its most decisive moment with the visit of Pope John Paul II to Athens in 2001.

The new archbishop also maintains a good relationship with the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, who has expressed his satisfaction and joy with this choice.

Archbishop Ieronymos will be enthroned Feb. 16.

Born Ioannis Liapis, the Greek native was a professor of philosophy and archaeology before entering the priesthood in 1967. He was enthroned as bishop of Thebes in 1981.