On May 26, 2026, in Constantinople (Istanbul), at a session of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a new Bishop of Themis and Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in Lithuania was elected, Archimandrite Panaret Psaravtis. The new Exarch is expected to arrive in Lithuania on June 7, when the local Orthodox community will be visited by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew himself.

His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew will visit Lithuania at the invitation of the Roman Catholic Archbishop Gintaras Grušas and will take part in the Congress of Mercy. A service of the Orthodox community with the participation of the Patriarch and the new Exarch will take place on June 7 at 9:00 a.m. at the Trinapolis Church of the Most Holy Trinity (70 Verkių Street, Vilnius). A meeting with the community will follow the service.

Archimandrite Panaret Psaravtis, elected today and set to serve in Lithuania, is a priest and monk born in Chania on Crete. He serves in a Constantinopolitan parish where Slavic and Turkish Christian communities are present.

He was tonsured as a monk in 2002 and ordained to the priesthood in 2003. Father Panaret began his ministry in the Metropolis of Rethymno and Avlopotamos of the Church of Crete. In 2014, he was invited to serve in Constantinople.

In recognition of his worthy service, he received the rank of archimandrite in 2010 and the title of Grand Preacher (Megas Ierokyrix) in 2016.