Theologian condemns Met Tychikos’ deposition comparing it to Christ’s trial
Dr Elpidophoros Sotiriadis called the vote against Metropolitan Tychikos a violation of church canons.
Doctor of Theology Elpidophoros Sotiriadis gave an extensive interview to UOJ in Greece about the scandalous decision of the Holy Synod of the Cypriot Church to remove Metropolitan of Paphos Tychikos from his position, calling the events a church schism and a violation of canonical law.
Violation of Church canons
According to the theologian, his first reaction to the news was a "feeling of indescribable bitterness and sadness". Sotiriadis drew a symbolic parallel, stating that he sees in the events "6 Orthodox hierarchs voting for Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos, and 10 cardinals voting against."
Criticizing the decision-making procedure, the expert pointed out a gross violation of the Statute of the Cypriot Church. "To impose a penalty on a hierarch, the votes of three-quarters of the hierarchs of the Synod are required – at least 12 votes. But the decision was made with only 10 votes, and subsequently, they declared it a court to justify the unjustified," he emphasized.
Sotiriadis drew a direct parallel with the Gospel events: "This whole scene reminded me of the trial of Christ by the high priests and Pharisees, which was unjust because the principles of the law of that time were violated. They did the same – violated not only God's law but also human law."
Characterization of Metropolitan Tychikos
The theologian gave a high assessment of the personality and ministry of the deposed hierarch. According to him, although he did not have a special relationship with Metropolitan Tychikos, he heard "very kind words from many people" about the bishop.
A personal meeting with the metropolitan in the summer of 2024, when he invited him to the Paphos Metropolis to give a lecture on coronavirus, made a special impression on Sotiriadis. "The experience of this short personal communication with the metropolitan left an indelible mark in my memory, where his sincere humility and the Orthodox spirit he radiated were preserved," noted the theologian.
Sotiriadis called the Metropolitan of Paphos "a diamond shining in the church sky and guiding the believers," emphasizing that "no matter what they do, they will not be able to use darkness to destroy the Light, because darkness has no essence."
True reasons for the conflict
According to the expert, the true reason for the conflict lies in Metropolitan Tychikos' principled position on ecumenical issues. "More and more signs indicate that what happened is part of a planned campaign against Metropolitan of Paphos. The Archbishop (the head of the Cypriot Church – Ed.) clearly cannot come to terms with the fact that Bishop Tychikos fundamentally refuses to allow representatives of heterodox confessions into his diocese, with whom the Archbishop is actively trying to establish a dialogue," stated Sotiriadis.
The theologian recalled previous conflicts when Archbishop Georgios, while being Metropolitan of Paphos, "received papists in the Paphos Metropolis, and ultimately entered into a dispute with priests and monks inside the holy temple, as they protested against the presence of heretics on the Holy Land of Cyprus."
Strong letter to the Archbishop
The theologian recounted that he saw "inexplicable aggression" from Archbishop Georgios towards the Metropolitan of Paphos.
"When it was announced a week ago that an extraordinary Synod meeting would be held, my concern reached its peak. That is why, two days before the Synod, I sent a very strong letter to His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus, which I also forwarded to all members of the Synod, pleading not to undertake any schismatic actions."
In the published letter to Archbishop Georgios, Sotiriadis accused the Primate of the Cypriot Church of "witch-hunting" and attempts to create a crisis in the Church. "We DO NOT want the Pope to be in Cyprus. He is a heretic. He does not belong to the Church," the author of the letter categorically stated.
Call for peaceful protest
Despite the sharp criticism, the theologian called on believers to respond peacefully but decisively. "I believe that there should be a very well-organized nationwide unifying protest in the Archdiocese, so that people can affirm their faith in the Orthodox Tradition," he stated.
At the same time, Sotiriadis emphasized the need to follow the example of Christ: "We are obliged to follow the example of the Lord, who was silent in the face of his accusers. We have the most powerful weapon – humility and prayer."
Spiritual assessment of events
Paradoxically, the theologian expressed "great joy" from the events, explaining that they revealed the true face of church figures. "I am convinced that time will show the necessary elements that will reveal the purity of Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos and uncover the motives of each person," he stated.
"The tares have separated from the grains, and the new landscape offers us the true path of truth that we must follow in the coming difficult years," concluded Dr Sotiriadis, calling on Orthodox Christians to pray and repent for both the suffering metropolitan and the hierarchs who made the controversial decision.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that on May 25, 2025, a large-scale rally of believers against the deposition of Metropolitan Tychikos took place in Paphos.
