Kykkos, Cyprus, June 14, 2023
Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr
The canonical primate for the Orthodox faithful in Ukraine is His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, says His Eminence Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos of the Church of Cyprus.
However, at the same time, the bishops of the Cypriot Church must obey the majority decision of the Cypriot Holy Synod, he added in comments to the Cyprus News Agency.
There is a problem in the Cypriot Church because the previous primate, Archbishop Chrysostomos, who reposed in November, unilaterally entered into communion with the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” and the current primate, Archbishop Georgios, maintains communion with them, commemorating “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko in the Divine services, Met. Nikiforos explains.
The matter has come up again after the new hierarch of Paphos, His Eminence Metropolitan Tychikos, refused to concelebrate with Abp. Georgios in Nicosia on Sunday because he commemorates the schismatic Dumenko. This is the second time that he has abstained from serving with the primate.
As OrthoChristian reported yesterday, Met. Tychikos’s stance has angered Abp. Georgios, who says he is intent on preventing a schism in the Cypriot Church.
OrthoChristian wrote yesterday that while some Cypriot hierarchs have completely changed or at least softened their previous stance against the recognition of the schismatics, Met. Nikiforos of Kykkos is among those who continue to take a strong stance.
However, his comments to the Cyprus News Agency seem to show, in fact, a weakening of his previous position.
“I’m thinking of proposing that the issue be raised again by our primate to the Holy Synod to decide. And since there’s a sacred canon that says the vote of the many is followed, we must obey the majority decision of the Holy Synod,” Met. Nikiforos said, which is reminiscent of the softer stance Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol began voicing last year.
However, Met. Nikiforos is the author of an in-depth book explaining why it’s canonically impossible to recognize the schismatics. In his latest comments, he does not explain why the decision of the Holy Synod must be followed even if it’s anti-canonical.
When Abp. Chrysostomos first commemorated the schismatic Dumenko in October 2020, Metropolitans Nikiforos and Athanasios, together with Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamassos and Bishop Nicholas of Amathountos, strongly protested and endured much criticism from Abp. Chrysostomos for their stance.
While Metropolitans Nikiforos and Athanasios have softened their stance, Met. Isaiah of Tamassos has completely changed his stance and wholly embraces the schismatics.
His Eminence Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou continues to hold the Orthodox position and is known to abstain from concelebrations with the Cypriot primate, Archbishop Georgios of Paphos, because he commemorates the schismatics.
Met. Nikiforos says that he will accept the decision of the Holy Synod in order to prevent a schism in the Cypriot Church.
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