Deposed Paphos bishop Tychikos’ legal representatives on Saturday said that he plans to take the case against his dismissal to the European Court of Human Rights once all legal avenues in Cyprus have been exhausted.

They said that he will remain in Paphos “until all legal proceedings are completed” and will “exhaust every legal remedy, both before the Cypriot courts and, if deemed necessary, before the European Court of Human Rights”.

Regarding his current place of residence, they said that he “currently resides in Paphos as the guest of a well-known family”, having left the bishopric earlier in the week.

On Thursday, bishopric staff had found the residence vacant, and upon entering it, found that Tychikos’ personal belongings had been removed.

This followed a request made by Archbishop Georgios, who had asked that he vacate the premises before his successor is enthroned next week.

Tychikos was deposed from his role in May last year, with the Holy Synod voting by a ten to six margin to ratify Tychikos’ removal from his official status after he was charged with various breaches of church protocol, including showcasing an icon of a saint not canonised by the church.

Church secretary Georgios Christodoulou said at the time that “the Holy Synod decided that the aforementioned hierarchy shall remain a bishop of the Church of Cyprus and a member of the Holy Synod”. This meant that he retained the title of “bishop”, but was relieved of his administrative duties.

The archbishop had previously clashed with Tychikos, notably over the latter’s refusal to allow the relic of Apostle Paul’s skull to be brought from the Vatican City to Cyprus on the principle that the late Pope Francis was “a heretic”.

Tychikos had then appealed against his dismissal at the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, but was unsuccessful in his appeal.