Cyprus’s Archbishop Georgios is set to visit the Vatican to arrange the transfer of a sacred relic to Paphos, bypassing local Metropolitan Bishop Tychikos who opposes the move on theological grounds, church officials said.
The planned transfer of Saint Paul’s skull relic has sparked a significant rift between the church leaders, with Bishop Tychikos objecting due to his view of the Pope as “heretical”, sources close to the church told philenews.
Archbishop Georgios plans to proceed with the transfer and reception ceremony in Paphos, with or without the local bishop’s participation, invoking Article 12 of the church’s charter that allows him to conduct services throughout Cyprus with mere notification to local bishops.
“The Archbishop only needs to inform the local bishop, not seek his permission”, a senior church official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The initiative, originally started by late Archbishop Chrysostomos II, has exposed deeper divisions within the Cyprus Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan Bishop of Limassol Athanasios, who leads a group of five hierarchs, had previously opposed the Pope’s visit to Cyprus on similar grounds.
The archbishop’s Vatican visit, while officially planned since last year, will now be used to finalise the relic’s transfer arrangements, church officials said.
The growing dispute appears unlikely to be resolved, sources said, with Bishop Tychikos expected to absent himself from the reception ceremony, further straining relations between church leaders.
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