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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s use of the term “ecumenical” sparked a major debate in Türkiye, but the term doesn’t endanger Turkish secular nature, lawyer Kezban Hatemi explained in an opinion article for Euronews.
Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referred to Patriarch Bartholomew I of the Patriarchal Cathedral Church of St George as the “ecumenical patriarch,” a title some in Türkiye believe contradicts the Treaty of Lausanne.
However, when something is given the title of “ecumenical,” it is a purely spiritual title. Since ecumenicalism is a religious and spiritual concept, it does not and cannot have any political or administrative consequences against Türkiye.
Moreover, Patriarch Bartholomew — the primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians worldwide — has often emphasised in press statements that the church has no such demands and that this title is purely religious and spiritual.
The Republic of Türkiye is a secular state and does not interfere with the titles used by the Patriarch’s Christian believers.
Moreover, the title of ecumenical, as a spiritual category, is explicitly mentioned in the Patriarchate Ordinance.
The spiritual title of the patriarch is described as “the great head of the Church of the Orient,” and the phrase “Ecumenical Patriarchate” was always used on the documents issued by the Patriarchate during the Ottoman Period.
What does the Treaty of Lausanne say?
According to the Treaty of Lausanne signed on 8 January 1923, the Patriarchate was described as an “oecumenical Patriarchate”.
Article 42 of the Treaty of Lausanne states that the Turkish Government “undertakes to provide full protection to the religious institutions other than churches, synagogues and cemeteries of non-Muslim minorities”.
There can be no doubt that Patriarchates are included in these “other institutions”.
Since it is also stated in the same article that these “établissements religieux”, or religious institutions, will be granted all kinds of self-governing authorisations, the spiritual titles that existed until Lausanne were also preserved by default.
The Turkish state is expected not to interfere in the use of this historical and religious title, maintain its impartiality, and take legal action against those who interfere.
Moreover, The Vatican, other spiritual authorities and churches, many Islamic countries, EU countries and the US are among those who use the ecumenical title.
The Patriarchate cannot be expected to “veto” the use of the ecumenical title by rejecting its own spiritual title.
If the Patriarchate did such a thing, it would lose its prestige in the eyes of Christian Orthodox believers. Expecting and demanding such an attitude from the Patriarchate means “interference in freedom of religion”.
The Patriarchate itself uses this title because it should not be expected from a religious authority not to take on this title, which the Vatican also uses, and thus harm its own religious reputation.
ADVERTISEMENT‘It did not bother my ancestors, it will not bother me either’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, when asked in 2010, said that ecumenicalism does not bother him, **”**Since it did not bother my ancestors, it does not bother me.”
Therefore, using this spiritual title has no direct detrimental consequences for our state.
On the contrary, the fact that the spiritual head of the Orthodox Church is in Türkiye and a Turkish citizen facilitates dialogue with the Orthodox Church and thus with Christendom and benefits Türkiye’s recognition of Christendom as a country that guarantees freedom of religion.
In short, it is obvious that the title of “Ecumenical” has no consequences that threaten the sovereignty of the Republic of Türkiye.
ADVERTISEMENTOn the other hand, this title is the spiritual leader of all Orthodox people, and their centre is the Patriarchate of Istanbul, the first church of Christianity, as stated in the Patriarchal Ordinance and the maxim, which has been under protection in the legal system of the Ottoman Empire for centuries and is still valid today.
The Patriarch of Istanbul is the first among equals, which has a spiritual meaning.
In our country, there are over a thousand charitable and religious cultural assets and Orthodox churches in various parts of Anatolia.
There are 40 metropolitans, thousands of churches, educational and charitable institutions and 300 million Orthodox believers. Religious faith and ecumenicalism are matters of religious faith and order.
ADVERTISEMENTIt is an obvious fact that the title of “ecumenicalism” has no consequences that threaten the sovereignty of the Republic of Türkiye, and that the use of this title by the US, EU authorities and the Vatican has no purpose other than the use of spiritual courtesy titles, and that the possibility of political and administrative consequences never exists.
In Article 24 of the Turkish Constitution, freedom of religion and conscience is both recognised as a right and protected as follows:
“Everyone has the freedom of conscience, religious belief and conviction.” Provided that the provisions of Article 14 are not contrary to the provisions of Article 14, worship, religious rites, and ceremonies are free.”
“No one shall be compelled to participate in worship, religious rites and ceremonies, or to declare his religious beliefs and convictions; he shall not be condemned or accused because of his religious beliefs and convictions.”
ADVERTISEMENTOn the other hand, as it is known, the concept of “secularism” is essentially the separation of religion and state affairs and the guarantee of freedom of religion and conscience, and this phenomenon is stated in the decision of the Constitutional Court from September 2012.
“In a secular political system, individual preferences in religious matters and the lifestyle shaped by them are outside the intervention of the state but under its protection.** In this sense, the principle of secularism is the guarantee of freedom of religion and conscience,” the decision states.
Therefore, the use of this religious title — which is recognised by the church to which the Patriarch belongs and by his co-religionists in his denomination, without any social, economic, political or legal status or demand different from all citizens living in the society — is entirely within the scope of freedom of religion and conscience, and essentially opposing this constitutes a crime.
What happened at the Ukraine Peace Summit?
His Holiness the Patriarch accepted the independence request of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which had separated from the Russian Orthodox Church and applied to the Patriarchate of Istanbul for autonomy in line with the intense demands from Ukraine for a very long time.
ADVERTISEMENTAt the Ukrainian Peace Summit held in Switzerland, Ukraine requested that His Holiness the Patriarch be an observer, and Switzerland invited him to the meeting.
There was no text signed at the meeting, and it is unlikely that the Patriarch signed any text. Our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was also present at the meeting attended by the Vatican and the UN.
The Patriarchate of Istanbul, being “the first among equals” in the Orthodox world, the Greek Patriarchate of Fener has the right to grant independence to the churches.
Therefore, the Patriarch has the authority to appoint metropolitans to all Orthodox churches in the world, which is a religious, spiritual and moral authority.
ADVERTISEMENTThis authority has been granted to the Patriarchate of Istanbul since the time of Mehmed the Conqueror.
Today, it should have the authority to retain its own spiritual identity, titles included.
Kezban Hatemi is a lawyer best known for her work on women’s rights and the rights of minorities. She is also the advisor of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
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ADVERTISEMENTThis opinion article was originally published in Turkish and has been edited for clarity.
