Former Metropolitan Tikhikos of Paphos is threatened with ejection from the dignity because of his refusal to obey the Synod

Former Metropolitan Tikhikos of Paphos is facing the threat of permanent ejection from the ministry if he does not obey the decisions of the Synod of the Cypriot Orthodox Church. He is supported by radical church groups, which complicates the situation and makes his departure almost inevitable.

According to the Greek publication Fos Fanariou, a hopeless situation has developed for former Metropolitan Tihikos: he must either follow the instructions of his Church or face the extreme measure of being deprived of his priestly ministry. The author of the publication Panayiotis Andriopoulos notes that the Metropolitan has become a hostage of the so-called «Christian Taliban » — an explosive mixture of schismatics, anti-ecumenists, Russophiles and other «extra-systemic» elements.

According to the author, these groups have turned the figure of the hierarch into a banner of «revolution,» daily presenting him on the Internet as «innocently accused» and even comparing him to St. John Chrysostom. Being under the influence of such an environment, Metropolitan Tikhik is likely to refuse to obey the decisions of the Church.

It is predicted that he will not sign the «confession» offered to him by the Synod, and the further development of events is predictable — expulsion from the dignity. At the same time, the publication emphasizes that both the Church of Cyprus and the Patriarchate of Constantinople did the right thing by not «justifying» Metropolitan Tikhikos, as this would have meant giving in to «the most reactionary forces in the modern Orthodox Church». This case, in the author’s opinion, proves that the Church is capable of moving forward without depending on the «orthodox Taliban» who seek to manipulate it by any means necessary.

Recall, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople unanimously approved the decision of the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus to remove former Metropolitan Tikhikos of Paphos from the cathedra. Despite the identified procedural violations during the proceedings in Cyprus, the Patriarchate considered the decision to be essentially correct and called on the former hierarch to submit to the will of his Church.