The Church of Cyprus is currently in a period of waiting, following the submission of a church appeal by the former Metropolitan of Paphos, Tychikos, to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, against the decision of the Holy Synod dated May 22.
The appeal, known as an “Ekkleton” (a formal ecclesiastical appeal), was submitted on June 5 to the Archdiocese of Cyprus and has already been forwarded to the Phanar for examination.
According to the Archdiocese’s Press Spokesman, Christakis Efstathiou, the appeal is extensive and has been forwarded to the Ecumenical Patriarchate for review. As he stated, the Patriarchate – acting as the appellate court in this case – will assess the situation, determine how much time it will need, and decide what evidentiary material it may require in order to proceed and conclude the process.
Mr. Efstathiou called it premature to speculate on the timeline. He explained that it largely depends on how the appeal will be evaluated, based on the sacred canons and the legal dimension that must be examined in each case, how much time the process will take, and what evidence must be submitted.
When asked about the prosecution witnesses, he said that this will be decided by the Ecumenical Patriarchate itself, including whether additional evidence will be required.
Additionally, Mr. Efstathiou noted that the Holy Synod is expected to convene on June 23 for a regular session with its agenda. However, given that the case is pending before the Ecumenical Patriarchate, it is likely that the Synod will proceed with the long-term suspension of Tychikos and, for the time being, avoid implementing the most severe measures such as defrocking or excommunication, pending the appellate decision and while the appeal remains unresolved.
He emphasized the significance of the clarification made by the Archbishop yesterday – that the Holy Synod’s decision regarding Bishop Tychikos will not be suspended under any circumstances, given that neither the penalty of defrocking nor major excommunication has been imposed. These are the only penalties that would justify a suspension of enforcement while an appeal is pending, according to the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus, in a statement clarifying the nature of the Ekkleton filed by former Metropolitan of Paphos, Tychikos.
“In this context, His Beatitude Archbishop George of Cyprus continues to serve as Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan Throne of the Metropolis of Paphos,” the statement added.
When asked whether Tychikos has worsened his position, Mr. Efstathiou stated that he would prefer not to engage in such speculation, noting that it is Tychikos’s right to appeal and that this right must be respected at this stage, while awaiting the decision of the appellate body. He added that this issue falls within the substance of the case and that the process must be respected in its entirety at this stage.
When asked about the relationship between the Church of Cyprus and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Mr. Efstathiou responded that all hierarchs are fully aware of their responsibilities, roles, and mission, and there should be no connection drawn between the appeal process and the broader relationship between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Cyprus. He added that the Ecumenical Patriarchate must act objectively, regardless of any past issues in their relationship (such as the Ukrainian issue or the 2016 Synod of Crete).
He concluded by saying that once the Ekkleton has been filed, no episcopal elections can be held for a period of six months, although the overall timeline will ultimately depend on how long it takes for a final decision to be issued.
Meanwhile, sources within the Church suggest that the process is not expected to conclude before the six-month mark, emphasizing that this depends on the nature of the proceedings, the number of witnesses who will appear before the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the evidence the appellate court will have before it, how the proceedings unfold, and when the final decision will be issued.
The same sources noted that potential prosecution witnesses may include the Archbishop of America, Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki (due to the commemoration of Tychikos by a schismatic priest instead of Philotheos, the local metropolitan), Metropolitan Barnabas of Neapolis, the Metropolitan of Vergi of the Ecumenical Throne, and the Metropolitan of Neapolis of the New Lands, who also falls under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Tychikos apologized three times
According to information from his supporters, the former Metropolitan of Paphos, Tychikos, believes that the document he was asked to sign – a profession of faith – deeply offended him and wounded his dignity. He has reportedly expressed his grievance to those close to him and some of his supporters, saying that at the last Holy Synod session, he came close to kneeling in front of them and apologized three times, pleading for one final opportunity.
Source: CNA (Cyprus News Agency) / Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
