Former Paphos bishop Tychikos secured a significant legal vindication Wednesday after the Supreme Court granted him the right to pursue a challenge against the decision which ratified his removal from office.

In a unanimous ruling, the appeals court overturned part of an earlier judgement and granted Tychikos ten days to apply for permission against the Holy Synod’s decision, which confirmed his deposition as bishop of Paphos.

The court found that Tychikos had been prevented from acting within the prescribed 45-day period because he did not receive a copy of the Patriarchate’s reasoned decision until January 8, despite having requested it earlier.

“The failure to obtain a copy of the decision within the deadline, without fault on the part of the appellant, constituted a circumstance that prevented him from timely applying to the court,” the judgement said.

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Judges disagreed with the first instance finding that Tychikos had remained inactive without justification, ruling that insufficient weight had been given to the delayed delivery of the decision and the circumstances surrounding his efforts to obtain it.

The court, however, rejected his appeal concerning the decision of the Holy Synod which initially removed him from office.

It ruled that Tychikos had full knowledge of that decision from the day it was taken and that his decision to await the outcome of his appeal before the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople did not justify missing the legal deadline for seeking judicial review.

“The observance of time limits is not a matter of form but of substance,” the court said, adding that applications for such remedies must be pursued “as soon as possible”.

The ruling means Tychikos has won a second opportunity to challenge the Patriarchate’s ratification of his deposition but has exhausted his attempt to contest the original decision of through the same procedure.

The judgement came less than 24 hours before the ordination and enthronement of his successor, Bishop Gregorios, amid continuing tensions among sections of the faithful in Paphos.

Supporters of Tychikos have called on followers to gather on Thursday morning outside Saint Barnabas Church in Nicosia during Gregorios’ ordination and again later in the day outside the Paphos bishopric ahead of his formal enthronement.

Posts circulated on social media urged supporters to give the new bishop what organisers described as a “proper welcome”, accusing him of having “snatched the throne” from Tychikos.

Church authorities have proceeded with preparations for the transition after Tychikos vacated his residence at the Paphos bishopric last week.

Officials arriving at the property found the apartment emptied and the keys left behind.

Tychikos was removed from office following a prolonged dispute with Archbishop Georgios over issues relating to church governance, administration and ecclesiastical practice.

His removal triggered protests in both Nicosia and Paphos, with supporters repeatedly demanding his reinstatement.