‘THE PATRIARCHATE IS DYING,’ SAYS PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

Asbarez
Dec 24th, 2009

ISTANBUL (Milliyet)-Following criticism of his controversial statement
to a U.S. television network describing the inequality suffered by
his community in Turkey, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew says
"the Patriarchate is dying" and the serious problem of opening Halki
seminary must be addressed.

Criticized for telling U.S. network CBS that he felt "crucified in
Turkey," in an interview he told daily Milliyet: "We are without
oxygen, the Patriarchate is dying."

He said the interview with CBS was not planned and that the media
had emphasized the crucifixion quote. He said this was a metaphor
for detailing Greeks’ problems in Turkey, highlighted by the issue of
the Halki seminary located on Heybeliada, one of Istanbul’s Princes’
Islands in Marmara Sea.

"What will we do, if we cannot raise men of the cloth? Our metropolitan
bishops in Europe are over 70 years old. The ones here are 75 years
old. Now, who will I nominate to this post," said the patriarch, who
will turn 70 this February. "Why should we nominate people to this post
who were not raised in Turkey and educated on Heybeliada?" he asked.

"The seminary was open during Ottoman rule; [Mustafa Kemal] Ataturk
[founder of Turkish Republic] did not close it down. But it was wrongly
closed down in 1971, since it did not have university status but was
a vocational school for higher education," he said.

The patriarch said they were open to any formula to open Halki
seminary again, saying, "Whether it will have the status of a school,
university or anything else, we want to raise men of the cloth and
the state should give this opportunity to us."

Patriarch Bartholomew also said that Halki should be opened according
to the Lausanne Treaty, which was signed July 24, 1923 between the
Triple Entente from World War I and the newly established Turkish
Republic.

"Minorities can open schools for giving religious education by
covering the costs themselves, says the Lausanne Treaty. We had one
and it is closed down, we don’t want [an additional] right, we want
what Lausanne had given us," he said.

The patriarch said although they had heard that there were ongoing
discussions regarding Halki in Ankara, their opinions had not been
asked. He said he talked to State Minister Egemen Bagis about the
matter, and the latter told him to organize a commission and have
discussions.

Patriarch Bartholomew said the government was in favor of opening
the Halki seminary but it still has not opened.

"I guess the deep state does not want it [open]. Huseyin Celik once
said, ‘I would immediately open it if it was my decision only.’ Nimet
Cubukcu also said ‘there is no legal barrier.’ Why is it not opened
yet? It is stuck somewhere," he said.

He said the issue has nothing to do with reciprocity, or giving rights
to Turks living in western Thrace. "We are being held hostages for
the Turks living in Cyprus and western Thrace, but we are Turkish
citizens. And we want our rights as Turkish citizens," he said.

The patriarch also complained that despite official freedom of
worship in Turkey, his community has not remained in Turkey because of
historical incidents in which Greeks were forced to leave the country,
notably the incidents of Sept. 6-7, 1955 and other events in 1964. "We
are now around 3,000 people living in Turkey," he said.