PRESS RELEASE 05.06.2026. The Metropolitan (former) of Paphos, His Eminence Tychikos, states that in a recent personal letter to His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus, which he delivered to him through an employee of the Metropolis of Paphos, he has explained the financial issues he faced in the Metropolis of Paphos, and the true cause of his orchestrated removal from the Metropolis, as he himself believes.

Metropolitan Tychikos received, orally, from His Beatitude, through the same employee of the Metropolis of Paphos, the following response after this personal letter: "Has he left? If by June 4 he has not gathered his belongings to leave the premises of the Metropolis of Paphos, where he resides, I will bring the police (meaning to throw him out). The stipend allowance he will receive when he leaves."
After these latest farewell words of His Beatitude to Metropolitan Tychikos, if it can be proven that they are true, since there is no other testimony, and there is doubt whether the employee of the Metropolis can confirm them, since he will obviously lose his job if he does, or if His Beatitude does not deny them, one may reasonably wonder:

1. Can Metropolitan Tychikos coexist in the Archbishopric with the Archbishop, after His latest words above? Especially when there had previously been a proposal to rent premises which the Metropolitan would pay for, deducted from his salary? Why did the Archbishop not leave space and will for the "newly elected Metropolitan of Paphos" to decide on his relationship with his "Predecessor"? "The door of the Metropolis is open to all," except for the Metropolitan (former) of Paphos, His Eminence Tychikos? who served in Paphos for 22 years.

2. A larger question arises for the State and Justice, prompted by the alleged phrase of His Beatitude: "if he does not leave I will bring the police."

Does the principle of independence of the Church of Cyprus vis-à-vis the State apply unilaterally? Does it apply, that is, when the Church claims the unaudited nature or immunity of its actions, but does not apply when it calls upon state organs to assist with the force of suppression in executing its decisions, in the name of its self-governance? Are all self-governing collective bodies based within the Republic of Cyprus judged on the basis of the principle of legality of their actions except for the governing institutional Church? When do the State and Justice safeguard public order? When they do not touch the legality of the Church's decisions, even if it violates principles of natural justice and imprescriptible human rights (for which Jesus Christ shed His Precious Blood) or when they intervene to execute a decision of the Church, even if that decision violates the above principles and rights?

The above questions are posed for reflection only, because they touch upon the interest of public opinion, occupy it, but also raise issues of equality before the law in a State of Law, such as that of the Republic of Cyprus.

For these reasons, Metropolitan (former) of Paphos, His Eminence Tychikos, chose not to abandon the Metropolis of Paphos, but to depart quietly and unobtrusively from his cell in the garden of the Metropolis where he resided, yesterday morning at 7, and not the previous night, as was untruthfully, and perhaps deliberately, published, greeting the Sexton of the Church in the courtyard, leaving the keys to the door upon it, since the handover of the Metropolis by him had already been done from the day the Archbishop himself was appointed Locum Tenens, who did not even wait for the decision on the Appeal of Metropolitan Tychikos to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which had a suspensive effect until its hearing and publication.

Ecclesiastical history has written another page in its course through the world and all these constitute open chapters towards resolving issues of application of the Holy Canons and administration of ecclesiastical justice.

The publications regarding the residence of Metropolitan (former) of Paphos, His Eminence Tychikos, in a "maisonette" are untrue.

He reserves all his rights for any defamatory event published against him without verification against anyone.

This house of 65-70 sq.m. which his family bought for him when the then Metropolitan of Paphos and current Archbishop wanted to expel him from the premises of the Metropolis as Protosyncellus at that time, because he had not been vaccinated, is rented and managed by his family.

Metropolitan Tychikos resides in Paphos with a family of his acquaintance who are hosting him.

He remains in Paphos until the final decision of the Courts of Cyprus, and if necessary also of the European Court of Human Rights.

He has trust in God and in Justice.
From the Office of legal representation of His Eminence
Metropolitan (former) of Paphos, His Eminence Tychikos, by His Order