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Holy Synod of Cyprus: Changes to the Church Charter and Stance on Controversial Issues

Published January 14, 2026, 21:55
Holy Synod of Cyprus: Changes to the Church Charter and Stance on Controversial Issues

The Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus has decided to revise its Charter, aiming to change the electoral process for Bishops and Metropolitans. The Archbishop's proposal is for the selection of Bishops and Metropolitans to be made by the members of the Holy Synod, while the faithful will only participate in the election of the Archbishop. The process is expected to take several months, with Archbishop George remaining the Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan Throne of Paphos until the new Charter is completed. Furthermore, the Synod did not discuss the issue of Tychikos, as it awaits official information from the Supreme Court. It also expressed the invalid and unsubstantiated nature of the ceremonies organized by the defrocked monks of the Avvakoum Monastery, emphasizing that no spiritual grace is offered to those who participate. In addition, the Holy Synod allowed the performance of the sacrament of marriage during the Christmas Fast, until December 12th. This decision follows the approval of the Archbishop's proposal to compose supplication hymns related to the Cyprus issue, which will be added to the Lamentations of Good Friday. Overall, the decisions of the Holy Synod concern both organizational matters of the Church and sensitive issues related to the current situation in Cyprus and its relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.