TCA Fact Sheet: The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul

Permission to conduct religious services outside of the established churches

• The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul is permitted to conduct masses at religiously and historically significant sites. In August last year, the Greek-Orthodox Church held a religious service officiated by Patriarch Bartholomeos at the Sumela Monastery in Trabzon, Turkey to which over 3,000 Orthodox Christians from all over the world attended. There was also substantial participation in the mass held by the Greek Orthodox Church in August this year, again at Sumela.

Citizenship of Orthodox senior clerics

• Since 2004, the appointment of non-Turkish citizen metropolitans (i.e. Orthodox senior clerics) to the Patriarchate’s Holy Synod has been explicitly permitted. Furthermore, metropolitans of foreign nationality have been allowed to acquire Turkish citizenship in an expedited fashion as of 2010. It should be noted that several Greek Orthodox metropolitans have already acquired Turkish citizenship under this new rule.
• These developments have provided for a practical response to concerns raised vis-à-vis the requirement that the Patriarch be of Turkish citizenship. This requirement derives its source from a regulation enacted in 1862- the provisions therein relating to religious matters remain in force today.

The issue of contested property

• Last year, Turkey returned a historical orphanage located on the island of Buyukada to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. This is no small gesture. In so doing, Turkey became the first country to implement a property claim verdict by the European Court of Human Rights.
• It should further be noted that according to a decree adopted on August 27, 2011 by the Turkish government, all properties registered to religious minority foundations in 1936 will be returned to their owners or full compensation will be paid if the property was sold to a third party. Indeed, this recent decree applies to properties registered by the Patriarchate to the Greek Orthodox community foundation. This is a historic step and one that will hopefully set an example for Greece to return properties owned by foundations of the Turkish minority in Greece to their rightful owners.

The "Ecumenical" Title

• There is no legal obligation requiring that Turkey recognizes the “ecumenical” title of the Patriarchate. In fact, according to the Venice Commission (the Council of Europe’s advisory body on constitutional matters) Turkish authorities are formally free to refrain from using this title.  The Commission explicitly stated that  “it cannot be inferred from the European Convention on Human Rights that the Turkish authorities are obliged themselves to actively use this title when referring to the Patriarchate, nor to formally recognize it” (Venice Commission, Opinion no. 535 / 2009, para.99).
• It should further be noted that at the Lausanne Peace Conference, Turkey allowed the Patriarchate to reside in Istanbul on the condition that the Patriarchate provides religious services solely to the Greek Orthodox minority of Turkey. The head of the Greek delegation, Mr. Venizelos, willfully accepted this decision as stated in the minutes of the Peace Conference. The exercise of “ecumenical” status is thus incompatible with the agreement reached at the Lausanne Conference.
• In light of these sensitive realities, by not obstructing the Patriarch and Church or others to use or refer to the “ecumenical” title, Turkey has been displaying what can only be described as a very lenient and accommodating stance on this matter. 

Heybeliada Theological School

• Turkey is committed to the re-opening of the Heybeliada Theological School in a manner that is compatible with its laws. Currently, religious instruction in Turkey is conducted under State supervision- a constitutional restriction which applies to all religious communities (Muslim or non-Muslim).  Leaving religious instruction and the raising of clergymen of one Turkish religious group to be administered outside of the Turkish educational framework and preventing other religious minorities from doing the same is hardly compatible with the principles of equality in front of the law.  Serious concerns remain that the re-opening of the Heybeliada Theological School under such arrangements would also pave the way of the opening of “Medrese” type institutions (i.e. establishments used for teaching Islamic theology and law).
• Displaying a constructive stance, Turkey has devised various formulas so that the Heybeliada Theological School may start functioning again within the Turkish educational framework. One such proposal foresees the opening of the School under the aegis of a state university in Turkey.  However, despite this proposal having been supported by other Christian and Jewish minorities in Turkey, it has not been accepted by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy.