Priests in Paphos and other districts have been sent a letter urging them to leave the Church of Cyprus and found a new church that would in effect stand against the Holy Synod and its decisions.
The Synod meets on Tuesday, having summoned suspended Bishop Tychikos, the former Metropolitan of Paphos, to appear before it. Archbishop Georgios and other Synod members are expected to make statements after midday.
The letter, signed by five people, went to every priest in Paphos and to a large number of priests in other districts. The letters appear to have started going out three months ago, and the Church’s ruling body had been monitoring the situation without intervening.
Phileleftheros understands that the letter appears to come from supporters of the walling-off movement (apoteichismos) who never accepted Tychikos’s removal. He was suspended and removed as Metropolitan of Paphos after refusing to sign a libellus, a written declaration of faith, as the Synod had asked, and Bishop Grigorios was installed in his place.
The exact reasons for the summons are not known, but one of the main ones is thought to be his persistent refusal to sign the libellus in the form the Synod gave him. Signing it would have left no doubt that he was not linked to the walling-off movement or distancing himself from what the Church of Cyprus stands for. According to the information, he has not said whether he will attend.
Nothing has emerged about which way Synod members are leaning, though decisive developments and decisions appear likely after the session.
Synod members may also discuss reports that a priest from a Slavic country has been celebrating the liturgy on Sundays at a private home in Paphos owned by someone who actively backed Tychikos in his dispute with the Synod. Holy Communion has reportedly also been celebrated there.
Some people are rumoured to have stopped attending church and to be gathering at the home instead because they refuse to accept Grigorios’s appointment.
