New statute of Church of Cyprus expected after Easter, Archbishop says

The new statute of the Church of Cyprus is expected to be ready after Easter, Archbishop Georgios said on Sunday during a visit to Paphos.

Speaking after the church service at the Metropolitan Church of Ayios Theodoros, the Archbishop said work on the statutory changes is still under way.

“A committee has been appointed and changes are being made, but it is still a major undertaking,” he said, adding that the process is expected to take another two to three months. “I believe that immediately after Easter it should be ready.”

He explained that the committee includes three university academics working together with the synod’s legal and canonical committee.

Once the revisions are completed, the new procedures will be implemented, the Archbishop said, stressing that the most urgent matter is the filling of the vacant Holy Metropolis of Paphos.

Asked how long the overall process is expected to take, he said that once the statute is finalised, procedures would be straightforward.

“When the statute is ready, the process will be easy, as nominations will simply be submitted and the Holy Synod will be convened. It will not take a long time,” he said.

Responding to a question on whether the changes concern only election procedures or extend to other issues, the Archbishop said the review is comprehensive and also αφορά judicial procedures.

“A revision is needed. The existence of too many details and the presence of lawyers within the Synod is something that does not occur in other churches and should be avoided,” he said.

Asked whether this was due to concerns about causing scandal among the faithful or whether it had been deemed necessary, he replied that such practices “were needed but did not contribute to anything,” adding that procedures would be simplified.

Finally, asked whether there was any update regarding the second appeal in the case of Tychikos to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Archbishop said he was not aware of any developments, noting that it is not a matter that concerns the Church of Cyprus directly.

“We simply forwarded the application,” he said.