The deposed hierarch of the Church of Cyprus has appealed to the head of the Phanar

Metropolitan Tykhikos of Paphos, a hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus who was stripped of his see by a recent decision of the Synod of the OCC, has filed an appeal with Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to challenge his removal. This was reported by the SPZ publication in Greece.

According to media reports, under Article 81 of the Statute of the Cypriot Orthodox Church, any bishop who has been defrocked or removed has the right to appeal to the Patriarch of Constantinople. This right is also provided for in the Church of Greece.

According to the Statute of the Church of Cyprus, after such an appeal is filed, the implementation of the synodal decisions of May 22, 2025, is suspended until the appeal is considered by the head of the Phanar. Thus, Metropolitan Tykhikos formally remains the head of the Paphos diocese, and, according to the Statute, the Synod cannot proceed with the election of a new metropolitan in Paphos. This also means that Archbishop George of Cyprus is no longer the locum tenens of the Paphos metropolis.

We previously reported that the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus had begun repressing bishops who refuse to support the position of the Primate of the OCC, Archbishop George, on the OCU and a number of other fundamental issues. After Metropolitan Tykhikos of Paphos was deprived of his see, the head of the Church of Cyprus announced reprisals against Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou.