Patriarch Bartholomeos criticized for feeling “crucified”
Niyazi Dalyancı “Yes, I do,” replied His All Holiness Bartholomeos, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Fener, to the U.S. television network CBS’s Bob Simon who asked him, “So do you feel crucified?” during an interview for the network’s “60 Minutes” news program with high ratings, drawing a harsh reaction from Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s Foreign Minister. During the interview Bartholomeos complained about the treatment his dwindling community in Turkey was receiving at the hands of the state and said that the Greek Orthodox citizens of the country were considered 2nd class by the authorities. Despite all his efforts and international pressure, the problems of the Greek Orthodox community in Turkey like reopening of the Halki Seminary to educate priests, remain unresolved, he said. The interview was conducted in Turkey in April by Bob Simon and aired on Dec.21. by CBS. When the Turkish media picked up Bartholomeos’ comments, the resulting reaction was mixed. But the sharpest retort came from Davutoglu. “In our historical tradition there has never been a crucifixion. The history of the Turkish nation is built upon religious tolerance,” Mr. Davutoglu claimed. “I don’t find this comparison compatible with the mature personality of the Patriarch,” said Mr. Davutoglu who found “crucifixion” an “extremely unfortunate comment,” which he hoped that it was “a slip of the tongue” on behalf of the Patriarch. “If he has complaints we have appropriate authorities to which he could convey his complaints. We shall work on them and see what can be done. We cannot accept such comparisons that we do not deserve,” said Davutoglu. “Turkish Republic does not evaluate its citizens according to their religious identity,” he added. The regulations under which the Patriarchate functions were sealed in the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 and they stipulate that all the patriarchs should have Turkish […]
