‘Ecumenical Patriarchate title would elevate Turkey’s reputation’

The Turkish government can ‘only benefit from recognizing the ecumenical status of the Patriarchate’ a senior official from the Fener Orthodox Patriarchate says in an exclusive interview Stopping resistance to the title “Ecumenical Patriarchate” and reopening the Halki Seminary can only elevate the reputation of Turkey as a democratic nation, according to a senior official from the Fener Orthodox Patriarchate.

“The ‘ecumenical’ status is a spiritual and religious jurisdiction. It is not legal or secular,” John Chryssavgis, who holds the title of Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Throne, told Hürriyet.

“The Ecumenical Patriarch has direct authority over churches in Australia, Asia and Western Europe, as well as in North and South America. Moreover, he has the responsibility of coordinating all of the 14 independent Orthodox Churches in the world, including the Church of Moscow and the Church of Antioch [encompassing today’s Syria and Lebanon], and so on,” said Chryssavgis, who also serves as an advisor to Patriarch Bartholomew.

“So the ecumenical nature of the Patriarchate is genuinely historical and real. The Turkish government can only benefit from recognizing the ‘ecumenical’ status of the Patriarchate and from supporting the global reputation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. I would say that ignoring the title ‘ecumenical’ is what the scriptures would call ‘having eyes, but choosing not to see,’” he added.

Chryssavgis said more communication and more dialogue between the government and the Patriarchate would help solve issues, adding his opinion that attitudes toward the Patriarchate have improved overall in recent years.

“Ecumenical Patriarch...