Patriarchate under siege

Vatican, Jul. 4, 2007 from CWNews.com:

Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) met on July 4 with Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis (pictured left), for a conversation that included a discussion of the problems facing the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

After her meeting with the Holy Father, Bakoyannis said that she was happy to have the occasiont to speak with Pope Benedict about "the need for international support for the Ecumenical Patriarchate at a time that is particularly difficult, in the wake of the Turkish court's decision." Late in June a Turkish court ruled that Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople does not have the right to the title "Ecumenical Patriarch"-- a decision that restricts the freedom of the Orthodox patriarchate in Turkey.

The Greek foreign minister told reporters that Pope Benedict expressed a keen understanding of the difficulties that the court decision created for the Orthodox leadership.

During her visit to the Vatican, Bakoyannis also met with her counterpart at the Holy See, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.

Under this system more people entered the raffle at my high school bake sale than can qualify to be the next Ecumenical Patriarch when his All Holiness Bartholomew I is succeeded. Considering the number of acceptable candidates is tiny (male, Orthodox, Turkish, etc.), Turkey is virtually forcing him to move out.

Where to move to I don't know, but the decision to deny his ecumenical nature should be grounds for international outrage if not sanctions. What would happen if we denied the authority of the Dalai Lama, some ayatollah, or other religious leader?

If Turkey wanted to surreptitiously slip the noose over the necks of the Christians in Constantinople they blundered badly in making this loud step on a very creaky board - one that few can ignore and continue to declare their support for freedoms religious or cultural.