Source: Chicago Tribune By Mitch Smith, Chicago Tribune reporter May 13, 2013 Springfield is a long way from Istanbul — 5,660 miles, in fact — but Illinois state senators are considering a resolution that would criticize Turkey’s treatment of the Eastern Orthodox religious hierarchy. Even though a majority of senators have co-sponsored the nonbinding measure, it may not make it to a vote. Orthodox Christians say their leader, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, has been marginalized and mistreated by a Turkish government that has also seized church lands, imposed onerous citizenship requirements and closed an important religious school. Local Orthodox…
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Source: Order of St. Andrew the Apostle – Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate by Dr. Elizabeth H. Prodromou [Washington, D.C. – 5/5/2013] Today is Easter for the world’s 350 million Orthodox Christians, who just completed their Holy Week of prayer and fasting which culminated in today’s message of transcendent hope. But all last week and today, Orthodox Christians the world over have been reminded that politics trumps human rights. There’s a cruel irony in the fact that Orthodox Christians—whose belief that all persons are created equally and distinctly in the image and likeness of God is a perfect expression of…
Source: Qantara.de In recent years, around 60-100 Syriac Orthodox families have returned from central Europe to Turkey. Encouraged by changes in the political atmosphere, the minority nonetheless faces a host of problems, from the expropriation of land belonging to a monastery, to a ban on special schools and kindergartens, and also a lack of places of worship in Istanbul. By Ekrem Eddy Güzeldere A sign in Aramaic at the side of the road defiantly bids visitors “Welcome to Kafro” next to the official Turkish sign on which the village is called “Elbeğendi”. Here, some 15 kilometres south of Midyat, live…
Source: The National Herald CONSTANTINOPLE (From the website of Today’s Zaman) – Following a meeting held on Friday, the Council of Foundations — part of Turkey’s Directorate General for Foundations (VGM) — returned 190 hectares of forest to the Greek Orthodox Halki (Heybeliada) Seminary in Istanbul. According to the decision, 190 hectares of woodlands near the Halki Seminary will be given to the seminary’s owner, the Aya Triada Monastery Foundation. This is the biggest property return to a minority group in the history of Turkey. Established in 1844 on the island of Heybeliada, Halki Seminary was closed in 1971 under…
Source: Greek Reporter Europe By Nicky Mariam Onti The municipal council of Istanbul has decided to give the permission to rebuild the St. Stefanos (Yeşilköy) Church, the first time the Turkish Republic has allowed an Orthodox religious institution to be renovated. The church is under the aegis of the Arab-Orthodox community which had asked many times for their own place for prayer. According to the Turkish newspaper STAR, the temple’s rebuilding can be initiated after taking the formal approval of the Council on Monuments. Churches in Istanbul date back to 1923, when the Turkish state was founded, and until recent…
Source: Trend Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Turkey is closely monitoring increasing attacks of Israeli extremists against sacred sites of Muslims and Christians. Vandals damaged the door of St. George Romanian Orthodox church and tossed garbage at its entrance. A tiny fringe group of pro-settler extremists are suspected in the vandalism. They have conducted similar attacks on churches, mosques and Israeli army property. The statement said Turkey strongly condemns any attack against sacred sites belonging to any religion or belief. The statement also noted that Turkey has called on Israeli authorities to take effective measures to prevent…
Source: PanARMENIAN.Net The bell-tower of Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakır, Turkey, is set to return to use after a 97-year interval, with a new bell made in Russia, Hurriyet Daily News reported. As part of repair and restoration work at the Surp Giragos Church a new bell was made in Moscow, and has been delivered to Diyarbakır. The bronze bell weighs 100 kilograms, and will ring from the bell-tower beginning at its reopening ceremony on November 4. The church’s bell-tower was demolished during the years of Genocide, on the grounds that it was “higher than the minarets in the…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Under the Auspices of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew The Halki Summit – sponsored by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and co-sponsored by Southern New Hampshire University – is a conversation on environment, ethics and innovation among a distinguished group of activists, scientists, journalists, business leaders, theologians, and academics. At the heart of this discussion is the recognition that no healing environmental action can be successful without a fundamental change in values as manifested in ethics and spirituality. On the small island of Heybeliada, just off the coast of Istanbul, at the historical Theological School of Halki, Ecumenical…
Source: Today’s Zaman 25 December 2011 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL The thousands of Christians in Turkey began their Christmas celebrations on Dec. 24, and several religious ceremonies were held in different churches as political figures like the president and prime minister issued holiday messages. İstiklal Street was the center of activity where Christians gathered together to spend the evening. Some joined parties while many others went to church to pray. Many Catholics celebrated Christmas with a religious service on the night of Dec. 24 at St. Antuan Church on İstiklal Street. The evening Christmas Eve service commemorates the fact that…