Conspiracy by archbishop and mayor against Met Tychikos exposed in Cyprus

Metropolitan Tychikos and Archbishop Georgios. Photo: UOJ in Greece

Scandalous details have emerged in the case of the suspension of Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos, turning it into a large-scale institutional crisis that extends beyond church boundaries and falls under the jurisdiction of criminal authorities. This was stated by the hierarch’s legal adviser, Eirinaios Antoniou Yakoumakis, UOJ in Greece reports.

According to the lawyer, the deposition of the Metropolitan was the result of a conspiracy with deep financial and political motives between Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus and former Paphos mayor Phedonas.

A key turning point in the case was the written testimony given to police by the current acting mayor of Paphos, Deputy Mayor Angelos Onisiforou. It describes a “staged operation” that began in the summer of 2024. It is alleged that Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus gave a clear instruction to the then mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos, to make public accusations against Metropolitan Tychikos. The purpose of these statements was to portray the hierarch as “petty” and “incompetent” in order to facilitate his removal by the Synod in May 2025.

The Metropolitan’s legal team links his deposition to Tychikos’s attempts to clean up the finances of the Paphos Metropolis. There is a final court ruling under which the Municipality of Paphos owes the Metropolis €8 million for the use of land. Metropolitan Tychikos had been seeking payment of this sum, which led to conflict with the mayor’s office.

In addition, the hierarch instructed the Metropolis’s financial adviser to conduct an in-depth audit of major contracts – in particular, those involving Pafilia, the Minthis Hills complex, and the St. George Hotel. According to the lawyer, pressure was placed on the Metropolitan to prevent the audit from going ahead, since it would have “compromised the Church and the Archbishop,” as some of these contracts had been signed or extended during the previous period. Before becoming the Primate of the Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Georgios had served as Metropolitan of Paphos.

The allegations also include a political dimension. It is claimed that the Archbishop was to support the Paphos mayor’s ambitions for the presidency of the Republic in exchange for the political “destruction” of the Metropolitan.

Metropolitan Tychikos’s side says it is determined to pursue the case to the end in civil courts, alleging conspiracy to commit a criminal offense, defamation, abuse of power, and the concealment of financial scandals.

“The only way forward is justice, since an attempt was made to conceal financial abuses under the pretext of ecclesiastical offenses,” Yakoumakis said.

The lawyer noted that the Metropolitan remains in Paphos, close to his flock, awaiting full vindication and a review of the mechanisms that led to his suspension.

As the UOJ reported, a rally in support of Metropolitan Tychikos will be held in Paphos.

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