Primate of the Church of Cyprus Defends Removal of Met. Tychikos

Abp. Georgios of Cyprus. Photo: philenews.com

NICOSIA, CYPRUS — Abp. Georgios of Cyprus has said that the deposition of Met. Tychikos of Paphos was necessary to curb what he described as “morbid fanaticism” within the Church of Cyprus. In an interview with Phileleftheros, the primate reflected on developments in 2025, calling the Met. Tychikos case the most serious challenge facing Orthodoxy on the island.

According to Abp. Georgios, a movement had emerged that rejected all ecclesiastical authority except its own, prompting the Holy Synod to take what he called a “painful decision” to halt the phenomenon. He stated that the Synod removed Met. Tychikos from his see and also accused him of ordaining a priest who had committed canonical offenses.

Met. Tychikos was formally deposed on May 22, 2025, following an extraordinary session of the Holy Synod, which cited apostasy—defined as a rupture of communion with church hierarchy—as the main charge. His appeal to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was later rejected, with the Patriarchal Synod urging submission for the sake of church unity.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the faithful of Cyprus had published an open letter in support of Met. Tychikos of Paphos. 

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