The American missionary Lorenzo Warriner Pease followed with great interest changes in church administration, always aware that these may affect his presence on the island:
Mr Charalambos has heard from several sources that the Bishop Damaskinos, who with others, went last fall to Constantinople with the professed intention of securing some changes in the government, has managed to make himself Archbishop. He doubtless made promises to the Patriarch that he would forward his designs and crush us, when the latter helped him into office. This is contrary to all custom, as the Archbishop is elected by the suffrages of the Bishops and first men here in convention and is confirmed by the Sultan.