Divian XVI
His Holiness Divian XVI | |
|---|---|
| Haliarch Patriarch of New Elyria | |
 | |
| Church | Ecumenical Communion |
| Installed | Highfrost 10th 2017 |
| Predecessor | Haliarch Miral XXI |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Dumisile Bandile |
| Nationality | Tolorian |
| Denomination | Ecumenical Vayonist |
| Residence | Haliarchic Palace, New Elyria, Haliarchic State |
| Previous post | Patriarch of the Southern and Tolorian Autocephaly |
Haliarch Divian XVI; born Dumisile Bandile; is the head of the Ecumenical Communion and sovereign of the Haliarchic State. Divian XVI is the first Haliarch from the Southern and Tolorian Autocephaly.
Born in Azhara, Ichoria where his father served as Tolorian ambassador, Bandile ascended to the priesthood in 1962. Prior to becoming pope, he was "a major figure on the Haliarchic stage for a quarter of a century"; becoming a close confidante of his predecessor Miral XXI. After a Patriarchal Synod elected to allow the secession of the Southern and Tolorian Autocephaly from the Diharan Autocephaly in 1996, Bandile was elected as its first Patriarch and relocated to Toloria to fulfill his duty. He was invited to the Haliarchic Palace shortly before the death of Miral XXI to accompany her in her final moments, a gesture interpreted by many as an acknowledgement of her desire to see him ascend to the Haliarchy. What followed was one of the longest Electoral Synods in modern history, lasting eleven months, which would finally reach unanimity on Highfrost 10th 2017.