Hierarch of the Hellenic Church called Metropolitan Tychicus' sentence unjust and uncanonical

Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira, a hierarch of the Hellenic Orthodox Church, has publicly expressed his support for Metropolitan Tychicus of Paphos and strongly criticized the legality of his sentence. In his open letter, Vladyka Seraphim called the condemnation of Metropolitan Tikhikos unjust and not in accordance with Church canonical procedures, and expressed deep regret over the approval of the sentence by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

According to the press service of the Metropolis of Kythira, in the message Metropolitan Seraphim calls Metropolitan Tihikos «condemned without the stipulated ecclesiastical-canonical procedure.» He calls on the Church of Cyprus to strictly observe the sacred canons and make a «humanly loving decision.» Vladyka Seraphim also said that on October 17, the day Metropolitan Tychicus’ appeal was being considered by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, he celebrated the Liturgy at the Monastery of the Holy Infallibles on Kythira, praying for the success of his case and the resolution of the current drama.

In the letter, Metropolitan Seraphim expressed the hope that the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Patriarchal Synod, «having carefully studied the case and having established, according to the synodal report, the omissions in the consideration of the case of Metropolitan Tychicus in the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus regarding the provisions of its Statute, will return the case to the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus for reconsideration with exact observance of the ecclesiastical-canonical norms and procedural requirements of the Statute.»

However, to the deep regret of the Hellenic hierarch, despite the violations of procedure revealed by Constantinople, the members of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate «unanimously approved the synodal decision of the Church of Cyprus, passing judgment on the merits.» Metropolitan Seraphim wonders, «When a case has not been legally and canonically examined and all sides of it have not been illuminated, how is it possible to judge justly and fully, on the basis of truth and truthfulness, and ‘on the merits’?» Will such a judgment contribute to the pacification of the people of God and to the unity of the Christoimenite fullness of the Church?»

In his letter, Vladyka Seraphim cites a number of historical examples of unjust ecclesiastical judgments that have taken place throughout the two-thousand-year history of the Church. Among them are the condemnation of the Savior, the fivefold exile of St. Athanasius the Great, the exile of St. John Chrysostom, the 30-year exile of St. Nectarius of Aegina without trial, as well as the condemnation and ejection of three metropolitans of the Church of Cyprus under Archbishop Macarius and the condemnation without trial and defense of 12 metropolitans of the Hellenic Church in 1974. These examples are meant to emphasize the possibility of errors in ecclesiastical justice.

Addressing Metropolitan Tychicus directly, Vladyka Seraphim urges him to firmly preserve «the holy and immaculate faith of pious and Orthodox Christians,» the Tradition of the One, Holy, Soborna and Apostolic Church, and the divine sacred canons of Orthodoxy. He expresses his confidence: «If the Most Holy God allows a trial like the above-mentioned cases, rest assured that ‘sooner or later heaven will speak,’ as Metropolitan Kallinikos of Edessa, a contemporary long-suffering saint of our Church, confidently said, that is, the Lord will justify you.» In conclusion of the letter, Metropolitan Seraphim quotes the words of the holy martyr Ignatius the Theotokos to St. Polycarp of Smyrna: «Stand firm, holy brother, like an anvil under blows. The great ascetic’s destiny is to be beaten and to win».

Recall, earlier we reported that Metropolitan Tikhikos of Paphos was urgently hospitalized in one of the hospitals in Athens after a sharp deterioration of health. The incident occurred after his trip to Istanbul, from which he was strongly advised to refrain by doctors. From his hospital room, the hierarch recorded a video message asking for prayers.