The Church of Cyprus considers the "Tihikos issue" exhausted and moves on to the election of a new Metropolitan of Paphos

The Church of Cyprus has officially announced that the «Tihikos issue» concerning the former Metropolitan of Paphos is considered closed. The focus is now on the revision of the statutory regulations and the process of electing a new Metropolitan of Paphos, despite the ongoing personal appeals of the former hierarch. The statement underscores the Cypriot Church’s desire to move forward in its administrative and institutional activities.

According to ORTHODOXIANEWSAGENCY.GR, Christakis Evstafiou, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cyprus, said that for the Church of Cyprus «there is no question of Tihikos.» He noted that the Church has «moved beyond that» and has moved on to the next stage, which includes a review of the statutes, after which a new metropolitan will be chosen. According to Mr. Evstafiou, the Church is focused on the next steps concerning its administrative and institutional activities.

Asked about developments regarding the appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Mr. Evstafiou said that the second appeal by former Metropolitan Tihikos of Paphos is not of interest to the Church of Cyprus. He emphasized that it is his personal case, which does not affect the Church’s procedures and plans. «The developments are centered on the expected restructuring of the statutory provision and based on this restructuring, the procedure for the election of the new Metropolitan of Paphos will continue,» Eustafiou said, adding that all procedures will be carried out institutionally and in accordance with the Church’s stipulated regulations.

It will be recalled that the Supreme Court, by its decision of February 3, 2026, rejected the request of former Metropolitan Tihikos of Paphos to extend the deadline for applying for permission to issue special judicial orders against the decisions of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus and the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, by which he was deposed. The former Metropolitan of Paphos, in his petition to the Supreme Court, requested an extension of time to apply for permission to issue Certiorari, Mandamus and Prohibition type writs by which he sought to annul the decision of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus of May 22, 2025, to depose him, as well as the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of October 17, 2025, which confirmed the former decision.

Although the case has generated considerable interest in the previous period, in the opinion of the Church of Cyprus, the matter is now considered exhausted and attention is turning to further institutional steps concerning the Metropolis of Paphos and the general functioning of the Church.