Cyprus Holy Synod Removes Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos Over “Apotikisi” and Canonical Breaches

The Synod’s action follows repeated warnings from Archbishop George of Cyprus that went unheeded. Metropolitan Tychikos’s removal stems from a series of complaints, notably the ordination of an active member of the “Apotheichists” (those who refuse communion) and his subsequent deployment to Thessaloniki, where he continues to participate in this irregular assembly. Further charges included his systematic refusal to perform mixed marriages, administer Chrismation, and issue certificates of Orthodox Faith for sacraments performed by canonical Orthodox Churches. Additionally, he inaugurated a chapel in the name of a clergyman not canonized by the Orthodox Church.

According to Philenews, bishops supporting Metropolitan Tychikos included Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou, Bishop Pankratios of Arsinoe, and the Metropolitan of Limassol’s contingent: Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol, Bishop Nikolaos of Amathounta, Bishop Epiphanios of Ledra, and Bishop Porphyrios of Neapolis.

Those who voted for his removal and supported Archbishop George’s proposal were Archbishop George himself, Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria, Bishop Leontios of Chytron, Bishop Christophoros of Karpasia, Metropolitan Barnabas of Trimithous and Lefkara, Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos and Orinis, Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kyrenia, and Metropolitan Nektarios of Kition.

While some believed any penalty should fall under Article 14 of the Church Charter, the Synod proceeded as an ecclesiastical court, directly addressing the charges. Reliable sources indicate that the Ecumenical Patriarch was informed and reportedly approved the process, particularly given the serious canonical offense of “apotikisi,” making an appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarchate unlikely.

Metropolitan Tychikos reportedly offered a defense and expressed a willingness to change his behavior, but the Synod’s decision was already in motion after repeated warnings from the Archbishop went unheeded. Despite his removal from the Paphos throne, he remains a bishop and a member of the Holy Synod, though he is now permanently ineligible to return to his former post or to be considered for the archiepiscopal throne in the future.

What is “Apotikisi”? “Apotikisi” is an act of separation from the established Church hierarchy, typically rooted in doctrinal disagreements. Adherents, known as “apotikistes,” often regard others within the Church, or even entire hierarchies, as heretical. While they portray themselves as defenders of the faith, their unyielding and confrontational stance is considered extreme and schismatic by the institutional Orthodox Church. This was the central accusation leading to Metropolitan Tychikos’s removal. (Orthodox Times)

Metropolitan Tychikos Enthroned as Metropolitan of Paphos (Cyprus) – March 12, 2023