Holy Synod of Cyprus Removes Met. Tychikos from Leadership of Paphos Diocese
The decision was passed by a vote of 10 to 6, with Metropolitan Tychikos himself, as the subject of the charges, not having the right to vote.
Cyprus—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 is the culmination of a multi-year campaign by Archbishop Georgios, Primate of the Church of Cyprus, waged in response to Met. Tychikos' 2023 refusal to concelebrate with the Primate—due to Abp. Georgios's commemoration of Serhii (Epiphany) Dumenko, head of Constantinople's schismatic Orthodox Church in Ukraine (OCU).
Abp. Georgios commented then that he was determined to "put an end to this matter."
According to sources, the Patriarch of Constantinople was informed in advance and is believed to have given his approval for the proceedings.
The central charge of the council was "Apostasy"—i.e., the refusal to concelebrate with Cypriot hierarchs under the pretext of maintaining the purity of the faith.
The pivotal moment in the case being brought against the Metropolitan, 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.
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.
Clerics 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
Clerics who opposed removal:
- 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.
