THE 52 members of the diocesan electoral college due to elect the next archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough will first pray together this morning in Christ Church Cathedral for spiritual guidance. They will need it, as the succession is said by informed insiders to be "wide open" and "very fluid".
Bishop Walton Empey of Meath and Kildare is, however, increasingly mentioned as the likely choice.
Whoever is elected the next archbishop of Dublin will have a pastoral role to most of the 95,000 members of the Church of Ireland in the Republic, but he will also have an influence with his fellow archbishop, Dr Robin Eames, on the direction of the church on an all Ireland basis. Armagh is the senior diocese, but it is the Dublin incumbent who mainly interacts with the political, economic and social structures of this State.
The election is the subject of intense discussion among church members. There is said to be "manoeuvring behind the scenes but nothing as undignified as open lobbying by prospective candidates.
There is the intriguing possibility that for the first time since disestablishment 130 years ago, a priest and not an existing bishop may be selected as archbishop.
The only formal qualifications for election are to be an ordained priest over 30 years of age. But the chances of one of the women priests ordained since 1990 being selected are accepted as nil.
After prayer, the college will meet in the Chapter Room under the presidency of the Primate, Dr Eames, and a result is expected by the end of the afternoon. If, however, the necessary two thirds majority is not attained by any of the names proposed, then the selection is handed over to the House of Bishops.
There is no obvious successor to Dr Donald Caird, who leaves the diocese in a healthy state with growth in many areas and good morale. The uncertainty over his replacement is heightened by the composition and procedures of the electoral college.
There are 12 clerical and 12 lay electors from the joint dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. There are three clerical and three lay electors from each of the four other dioceses in the southern province - Meath and Kildare, Limerick, Cashel and Cork.
There are also three bishops in the college, one from the North and two from the South.
The morning session will be mainly an informal discussion on the needs of the diocese and the kind of person required to lead it successfully.
After lunch, the college will get down to the business of proposing names and voting on them. If any of the electors is proposed he must leave the room while being discussed. This could be the case for Dean John Paterson of Christ Church and Archdeacon Gordon Linney who are among the clerical electors.
If tradition is to be observed the new man will already be a bishop. Among those in the province of Dublin, Bishop Noel Willoughby of Cashel is ruled out on grounds of age as he will be 70 this year and is expected to retire.
Some observers believe that age may also tell against Bishop Robert Warke of Cork who is almost 66, but he is popular in Dublin where he served for over 30 years.
Bishop Edward Darling of Limerick is almost 63 and has served mainly in the northern diocese of Connor. His name is "not being mentioned", according to one informed source.
Finally, there is the Bishop of Meath and Kildare, Most Rev Walton Empey, who will be 62 this year. Rumours that he may not be in the best of health are said to have annoyed him and to be incorrect.
He was a curate in St Paul's Glenageary and served as Bishop of Limerick for four years before being transferred to Meath in 1985. As the most experienced bishop in the province he must be seen as a serious contender.
Among the outsiders, Bishop John Neill of Tuam must figure, as he is one of the most distinguished scholars in the House of Bishops and at 50 has the drive and energy to take on a large diocese.
The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe for the past 16 years, Right Rev James Mehaffey, also has his supporters, although all his experience has been in Northern areas.
The two non episcopal contenders are said to be Dean John Paterson of Christ Church and the Archdeacon of Dublin, Gordon Linney.
Dean Paterson is a churchman and also high church. His initial opposition to the ordination of women is said to have softened. If he is to have a serious chance of becoming archbishop, he would have to indicate that he would be prepared to ordain women priests.
Archdeacon Linney, who is now in Glenageary parish, is a former banker, said to be more popular with the laity than the clergy. He is being referred to as a "dark horse".
Some clerical observers are not excluding the possibility that the selection of archbishop will be thrown back to the bishops themselves if no candidate succeeds in winning the necessary two thirds votes of the college. This view is not shared by the Church of Ireland press office, which has "anticipated that a result will be reached" today.