Archbishop Georgios addresses church disciplinary issues and the Tychikos case

Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus defended the Holy Synod's management of the case involving the former Bishop of Paphos, Tychikos, during a recent interview with CyBC. The Archbishop expressed personal regret for appointing Tychikos, citing an error in judging the bishop's professional capabilities. He alleged that Tychikos maintained undisclosed ties with dissident religious groups in Thessaloniki, Greece, who oppose the decisions of the Council of Crete. Furthermore, the Archbishop warned that defrocked monks involved in the ongoing Avakoum monastery scandal could face excommunication if they persist in making public statements. While confirming that the Tychikos case is now considered closed, the Archbishop indicated that the former bishop might be assigned other duties within the archdiocese in the future. He explicitly dismissed the possibility of a schism, asserting that the number of individuals supporting separatist views within the Cypriot Church remains negligible.