A new satirical video is drawing laughs across Paphos, imagining a fiery, and fictional, phone call between Mayor Phedon Phedonos and Metropolitan Tychikos, the local Orthodox Church leader, over the renovation of Theoskepasti Square.
The parody opens with Metropolitan Tychikos answering his mobile phone.
“Bless you, my child, Mr. Mayor,” he says warmly.
“Good thing you answered,” replies Phedonos.
“I didn’t hear it, my child,” the metropolitan explains.
But the mayor isn’t buying it. “Cut it out. I need to come to the Metropolis so we can settle what we’re doing about the renovation of Theoskepasti Square.”
Tychikos shuts the door, literally and figuratively: “All the doors of my Metropolis are closed to you. You have my blessing.”
Undeterred, Phedonos offers a counter-proposal: “Then you come to City Hall.”
“I can’t leave the Metropolis, my child.”
The mayor begins to lose his patience: “Get it together and call Father Lucky! I’ve found sponsors and investors to fix up Theoskepasti Square. No one has objected to me so far.”
That’s when the dialogue takes a surreal turn.
“I’m not an ordinary person, my child,” the metropolitan says solemnly.
Phedonos fires back: “Then what are you, a snowman like Mitropanos says?”
But Tychikos stays unfazed. “I am God’s envoy on earth.”
Phedonos presses again: “I don’t care what you are. You need to come sign something for me.”
The metropolitan doesn’t budge. “I won’t sign anything for you, even if you throw yourself on the ground and leap into the air, my child. You have my blessing.”
Then comes the mayor’s ultimatum: “Listen to me, Father Lucky. If you don’t show up by Friday, I’ll expropriate Theoskepasti and carry out the works however I see fit.”
Tychikos warns him: “Come on, Phedon, quit the nonsense.”
But the mayor doesn’t back down. “You haven’t seen anything yet. As mayor, I have the right to expropriate the Metropolis itself — and you’ll be out there looking to rent office space and a place to sleep! Don’t tell me the Metropolis is closed to me.”
Satire with a local twist
None of this exchange actually happened. The quotes come from a comedic skit inspired by ongoing tensions between the Paphos municipality and the church over development plans. The video has struck a chord with locals, offering a dose of humor during a serious debate. Even Mayor Phedon Phedonos himself acknowledged the parody and laughed.
Watch the video (in Greek) here:
