The Rt. Rev. Francisco José Duque-Gómez, bishop of Colombia, shakes hands with bishop-elect Elias Garcia Cardenas. Photo: LinkedIn

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Diocese of Colombia elected the Rev. Elias Garcia Cardenas its fifth bishop.

Garcia was elected on the first ballot with 25 clergy and 22 lay votes, in a special electing convention held at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Bogotá on Oct. 1. The convention was a reconvening of the first electing convention held on Aug. 13, which after three ballots did not result in the election of a bishop, recessed.

The canons of the Diocese of Colombia require a two-thirds majority in both clerical and lay orders for a successful election. The other candidate, the Rev. Carlos Eduardo Guevara Rodriquez, received 12 clergy votes and eight lay votes.

The Diocese of Colombia is part of Province IX. Garcia will succeed the Rt. Rev. Francisco José Duque-Gómez, who has served as bishop since 2001. The bishop consecration is scheduled to take place on Feb. 18, 2023.