General Congregation of the Anatolian Turkish Orthodox
Encyclopedia
The General Congregation of the Anatolian Turkish Orthodox was a pro-Turkish nationalist Orthodox Christian group set up in 1922 and mainly active in the Turkish-speaking, Orthodox Christian Karamanlides
population of central Anatolia. Unlike most Greek Orthodox Christians, they identified themselves as Turkish rather than Greek and supported Kemal Ataturk.
At the time, it had support from the Orthodox Bishop of Havza
, as well as a number of other congregations. There were calls to establish a new Patriarchate for Turkish speaking Christians with Turkish
as the language of worship.
In 1924, the Autocephalous Orthodox Patriarchate of Anatolia was founded in Kayseri
by Pavlos Karahisarithis (Papa Eftim), one of its supporters - who was to later introduce Turkish into the liturgy. Due to the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey
, most of the congregation of this church were deported to Greece and it is now mainly centred around the family of the original patriarch Papa Eftim I
, patriarch of Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate, also known as the Turkish Orthodox Church.
Karamanlides
The Karamanlides , or simply Karamanlis, are a Greek Orthodox, Turkish-speaking people native to the Karaman and Cappadocia regions of Anatolia...
population of central Anatolia. Unlike most Greek Orthodox Christians, they identified themselves as Turkish rather than Greek and supported Kemal Ataturk.
At the time, it had support from the Orthodox Bishop of Havza
Havza
Havza is a district of Samsun Province of Turkey. The mayor is Murat İkiz ....
, as well as a number of other congregations. There were calls to establish a new Patriarchate for Turkish speaking Christians with Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
as the language of worship.
In 1924, the Autocephalous Orthodox Patriarchate of Anatolia was founded in Kayseri
Kayseri
Kayseri is a large and industrialized city in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is the seat of Kayseri Province. The city of Kayseri, as defined by the boundaries of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, is structurally composed of five metropolitan districts, the two core districts of Kocasinan and...
by Pavlos Karahisarithis (Papa Eftim), one of its supporters - who was to later introduce Turkish into the liturgy. Due to the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey
Population exchange between Greece and Turkey
The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey was based upon religious identity, and involved the Greek Orthodox citizens of Turkey and the Muslim citizens of Greece...
, most of the congregation of this church were deported to Greece and it is now mainly centred around the family of the original patriarch Papa Eftim I
Papa Eftim I
Papa Eftim I , was the first Turkish Orthodox Patriarch of the Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate, an unrecognised Orthodox Christian denomination, that he founded. Eftim I had strong influences from Turkish nationalist ideology...
, patriarch of Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate, also known as the Turkish Orthodox Church.