Calls in Turkey to strip Constantinople Church hierarch of citizenship

Trump and Archbishop Elpidophoros. Photo: Elpidophoros’s Facebook page

Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of the Constantinople Church’s Archdiocese in the United States, has become the target of criticism from Turkish nationalists who are calling for the revocation of his Turkish passport, Sigmalive reports.

The backlash was sparked by a speech the Archbishop gave at a recent Greek Independence Day celebration at the White House, during which he used the term “Constantinople” instead of “Istanbul” and referred to Patriarch Bartholomew as the “Ecumenical” Patriarch – terminology that contradicts the official stance of the Turkish authorities.

Journalist Erol Kara, a representative of the nationalist organization “Blue Homeland Union,” demanded on national television that not only should Elpidophoros’s Turkish citizenship be revoked, but he should also be barred from entering Turkey.

“The Archbishop is being closely watched because he spreads hatred against Turkey with his Byzantine dream,” Kara stated.

He urged Turkish conservatives and nationalists to initiate legal proceedings against Elpidophoros:

“Supporters of Atatürk, conservatives, and nationalists in Turkey must file a lawsuit against Elpidophoros. I call on prosecutors to do whatever is necessary against this man who acts against the Republic of Turkey.”

Retired Vice Admiral Cihat Yaycı, known for his anti-Fanar stance, also joined the attack on the Archbishop. Yaycı, one of the architects of the controversial Turkey-Libya maritime border memorandum, has repeatedly spoken out against the presence of the Constantinople Patriarchate in Istanbul and, according to media reports, plans to continue legal action against Elpidophoros.

It is worth noting that Archbishop Elpidophoros (secular name Ioannis Lambriniadis) was born in Istanbul in 1967 and holds Turkish citizenship. Before being elected head of the Archdiocese of America of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2019, he served as Metropolitan of Bursa and was one of Patriarch Bartholomew’s closest associates.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that according to a Constantinople Archon, the Ecumenical Patriarchate “does not exist” for the Turkish authorities.

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