Ordination of the new Metropolitan of Paphos marked by protests in Nicosia

On June 11, 2026, the ordination of the new Metropolitan of Paphos, Gregorios, took place at the Cathedral of Apostolos Varnavas in Nicosia. The ceremony was conducted by Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus in the presence of members of the Holy Synod and a representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. During the liturgy, supporters of the former Metropolitan Tychikos staged protests inside and outside the cathedral, shouting "unworthy" and "disgrace." Police intervened on two separate occasions to remove protesters from the church, and one individual required medical attention. Demonstrators claimed that the election and ordination were illegitimate and violated the constitutional charter of the Church of Cyprus. Despite these tensions, the ecclesiastical proceedings continued, with the enthronement ceremony scheduled for the evening in Paphos. While some sources emphasize the presence of faithful supporters, others focus primarily on the police security measures and the disruption caused by the dissenters.