Posted on 07/10/2007 7:33:18 PM PDT by markomalley
Istanbul, Jul. 10, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople is facing new conflicts in Turkey after a court there ruled that he has no right to the title of "Ecumenical Patriarch," the AsiaNews service reports.
The June decision by a Turkish court said that Patriarch Bartholomew is only the leader of the local Orthodox community in Istanbul, not a worldwide leader of the Orthodox faithful. (The Patriarch of Constantinople is traditionally acknowledged as "first among equals" by other Orthodox prelates.) Now Turkish nationalists are following up on the court ruling by saying that Orthodox officials from outside Turkey should not be allowed to participate in a bishops' synod convened by the Constantinople patriarchate.
Patriarch Bartholomew has said that the Turkish court decision has no valid effect on his authority within the Orthodox Church, because the court was ruling "on issues that do not fall under its jurisdiction."
The Orthodox patriarch has complained frequently about restrictions on religious freedom in Turkey, where Christians form a small minority in an overwhelmingly Muslim population. The Orthodox prelate has pressed European countries to demand greater religious freedom as a condition for Turkish entry into the European Union.
This is inevitable anywhere that Muhammedan have the majority.
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