Paphos Metropolitan election to be held by end of May – Cyprus Archbishop

Archbishop Georgios. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency

On April 29, 2026, in Paphos, Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus said that the election of a new Metropolitan of Paphos is planned after the Holy Synod approves the statute, tentatively by the end of May, Orthodoxia News Agency reported.

According to him, three meetings of the Holy Synod are scheduled for May 18–20, during which the new statute is expected to be reviewed and approved. The document is to be presented in the coming days – on Monday or Tuesday.

At the same time, the issue surrounding Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos remains disputed. The Archbishop said the decision on his removal would be considered by the Synod, though he himself, he said, “has not yet thought about it” and has not been summoned to a session. Complaints continue to come in, which he described as “sad events.”

The Church also denies allegations that decisions were taken under external pressure, particularly from the mayor of Paphos. According to the Archbishop, the matter concerns ecclesiological issues, including the problem of fanaticism.

Supporters of Tychikos, however, argue that the conflict is not only theological but also administrative, and that the hierarch has consistently defended the traditional Orthodox position, including on relations with other confessions and the decisions of the Council of Crete.

Despite claims that the situation has supposedly been resolved, Metropolitan Tychikos’ representatives continue to seek a review of the decisions. The Church of Cyprus, meanwhile, points to the fact that they were twice confirmed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The Archbishop also noted that other members of the Synod have not publicly spoken on the matter so far. He stressed that any deviations must be examined synodally, regardless of the person involved.

According to him, the issue of a possible dismissal is not on the agenda of the upcoming meetings, as they will be devoted exclusively to the new statute.

As previously reported by the UOJ, allegations have emerged in Cyprus in the case of Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos concerning an alleged conspiracy between Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus and the former mayor of Paphos to discredit and remove the hierarch amid a dispute over multimillion financial claims involving the Metropolis. The allegations were made by Metropolitan Tychikos’ lawyer, Irenaios Antoniou Yakoumakis.

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