Paphos, July 15, 2024
Photo: pafospress.com
In early July, the former Metropolitan of Paphos, Tychikos requested permission to serve at his mother’s funeral as an exception to the order against him by the Apostolic Church of Cyprus. Although he was at first granted permission, he was not allowed to do so at the event itself, and photographs were published of him praying in the stasidia as if he were a layman. As OrthoChristian reported earlier, Metropolitan Tychikos was dethroned mainly for:
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the alleged ordination of a member of a group in Thessaloniki that has walled itself off, not commemorating the local hierarch but without going into schism, and the concealment of this action;
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the “systematic refusal” to celebrate mixed marriages and the refusal to recognize the Sacrament of Chrismation and certificates of Orthodox faith celebrated and issued by canonical Churches;
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the consecration of a chapel in honor of a cleric who has not been canonized.
Cypriot news website PaphosPress published an editorial concerning what they perceive as Cypriot Church’s mistreatment of their dethroned hierarch:
“In scenes that do no honor to the Holy Synod or to contemporary Cypriot society, the former Metropolitan of Paphos, Tychikos, was seen today sitting solemnly in the pews of the Church in Mesana, silently attending the Divine Liturgy for his mother’s memorial.
“Although there is an ongoing ecclesiastical investigation against him, it is well known that he has not been stripped of his priestly faculties. Nevertheless, the Holy Synod permitted only his presence—not his liturgical participation—effectively subjecting the former spiritual shepherd of the historic Metropolis of Paphos, the senior-most see in the Church of Cyprus, to a public humiliation.
“The events and the background are already well known and need not be repeated. Regardless of the final judgment concerning the alleged “ecclesiastical offenses” attributed to him—whether they are confirmed or not—the image of an elected, canonical, and until recently active Hierarch (and one of the most humble) mourning his mother as a mere relative is an affront to the faithful.
“This posture, forced upon Tychikos, clearly undermines his personal dignity, especially since he has not been officially deposed. It negates the very principle of pastoral care, replacing it with public shaming in place of compassion for human grief. It also sets a dangerous precedent: today it is the Metropolitan of Paphos—who will it be tomorrow?
“And let no one claim this is just a fleeting moment captured by a camera. Even if it were, it remains an image witnessed by all those present at the Divine Liturgy and, by tonight, one that all of Cyprus will have seen on their screens.
“This morning in Mesana, the memorial—where family, friends, and faithful had gathered in support—was turned into a stark reminder of the inhumane spirit that arises when institutions forget their human-centered mission. The photo of Tychikos with bowed head, stripped of his priestly duties within the very house of God, is a gut-punch to every Christian with a healthy conscience.
“The Hierarchs—starting with the Primate of the Church of Cyprus—must truly reconsider: what kind of justice is being served when grief becomes an arena for displays of power? How is the dignity of the Church upheld when the image it projects is one of petty vindictiveness?
“Until the final decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is rendered, the least expression of respect would have been to allow the former Metropolitan to serve at his mother’s memorial—not as a “privilege,” but as a basic right of a man who has served the Church from the first days of his life and who was democratically elected Metropolitan by his flock.
“The Church is called to teach forgiveness and love—not public disgrace. Any message to the contrary undermines her very mission.”
The Editors of PaphosPress (translation used from UOJ).
This and other commentary in the Cyprus media show the growing wave of public opinion in favor of Metropolitan Tychikos among Cypriots.
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