Greek canonist: Metropolitan Tychikos case can create dangerous precedent

Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos. Photo: UOJ

The well-known Greek lawyer and master of canon law, Protopresbyter Lambros Fotopoulos, strongly criticized the deposition of Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos, calling the procedure uncanonical and warning of serious consequences for the Orthodox world.

In an article published on UOJ in Greece with reference to the resource Romfea, Protopresbyter Fotopoulos stated that the case of the deposed Metropolitan of Paphos by Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus is not a private matter but could create a dangerous precedent for all Orthodoxy.

"The deposition of Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos through hasty, uncanonical, and illegal procedures is neither a private matter nor a minor inconvenience in the drama experienced by the universal Orthodoxy of our time," writes the canonist.

According to him, Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus led an "attempt at spiritual destruction" of Metropolitan Tychikos under pressure from political and secular figures, bringing unfounded accusations against him.

As Protopresbyter Fotopoulos notes, Metropolitan Tychikos has filed an appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarchate according to Article 81 of the Statute of the Church of Cyprus. Now the decision will be made by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

The canonist warns that the Patriarch will face a difficult dilemma: to support the Archbishop of Cyprus or to justify Metropolitan Tychikos. He also notes that the majority of believers in Greece, Cyprus, and the diaspora reacted negatively to the deposition of the Paphos hierarch.

The canonist emphasizes that the approval of the controversial decision against Metropolitan Tikhik could set an extremely dangerous precedent: "Any metropolitan could be removed from the throne based on similar false, baseless, disputed, and unsubstantiated accusations — and by a simple majority vote of the Holy Synod members."

According to the lawyer, many bishops of Greece and Cyprus have performed actions similar to those for which the Paphos hierarch is accused, in particular, venerating saints before their official canonization.

In conclusion, the canonist called on Patriarch Bartholomew to justify Metropolitan Tychikos, "to preserve the unwavering trust of the entire Orthodox fullness in his person and to continue to be a reliable refuge for every unjustly persecuted cleric or layperson".

As reported by the UOJ, Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos was removed from the administration of the diocese by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus in 2024. The decision on his appeal is to be made by the Ecumenical Patriarch.

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