Holy Synod of Cyprus removes Met Tychikos from leadership of Paphos Diocese

Metropolitan Tychikos and Archbishop Georgios. Photo: philenews.com

On May 22, 2025, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus held an extraordinary session during which it voted by a majority to remove Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos from his episcopal see.

The decision was passed with 10 votes in favor and 6 against. Metropolitan Tychikos, as the subject of the disciplinary proceedings, did not have voting rights.

According to Philenews, in recent months, Metropolitan Tychikos had been actively promoting views that the Synod deemed undermining the authority of the Primate, Archbishop Georgios, and disrupting the canonical unity of the Church.

A pivotal moment was his refusal to accept the relics of the Apostle Paul in Paphos, which were to arrive accompanied by a Catholic cardinal as part of an agreement made between the late Archbishop Chrysostomos II and Pope Francis.

Additional concerns were raised over public statements and writings by his close associates, which targeted Catholics, heretics, and those perceived as enemies of Orthodoxy.

The central charge leading to his removal was apostasy, understood in this context as breaking communion with the Church hierarchy under the pretext of defending the purity of the faith.

Although Article 14 of the Charter of the Church of Cyprus states that a hierarch may only be removed following a court decision or conviction for a serious ecclesiastical offense, the Synod invoked its right to convene in the form of an ecclesiastical tribunal. This allowed it to make the decision without involving secular or external authorities.

According to sources, the Ecumenical Patriarch was informed in advance and is believed to have given his approval for the proceedings.

Those who voted for removal:

- Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus

- Bishop Grigorios of Mesaoria

- Bishop Leontios of Chytron

- Bishop Christophoros of Karpasia

- Metropolitan Barnabas of Trimythous

- Metropolitan Isaias of Tamasos

- Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos

- Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kyrenia

- Metropolitan Nektarios of Kition

Those who opposed:

- Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou

- Bishop Pankratios of Arsinoe

- Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

- Bishop Nikolaos of Amathus

- Bishop Epiphanios of Ledra

- Bishop Porphyrios of Neapolis

Metropolitan Tychikos retains his episcopal rank and remains a member of the Holy Synod, but he has been stripped of his position as ruling hierarch of the Paphos Diocese and loses any future right to be considered for the archbishopric. The diocese will be temporarily administered by Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos had refused to concelebrate with the Primate due to his stance on Epifaniy Dumenko.

Read also