WHY TURKEY'S YEAR 2000 COMMEMORATION OF CHRISTIANITY MUST BE OPPOSED

by

Theodore G. Karakostas

Christianity in Asia minor emerged from the very beginnings

with the missionary activities of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

Saint John the Theologian writing from Patmos around the year 95 AD referred

to the seven Churches of Ephesus,Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Laodicea, and

Philadelphia.

The Greek language was the primary language of Asia minor.

Following the establishment of the Byzantine empire with the

founding of Constantinople in 330 AD this region was the center

of Christian culture and civilization. The Seven Ecumenical Councils

which formulated Christian doctrine and dogma were held in

Constantinople and Asia minor.

In 1453 the Ottoman Turks took Constantinople. In 1461, they conquered

the empire of Trebizonde. The Greek and Armenian Christians of Asia minor were

given some tolerant status by the Sultan at first, but througout the centuries,

the Turks became increasingly repressive. A nation that does not have a flag and

independance cannot have it's dignity.

The twentieth Century brought with it the worst of Turkish behaviour. In 1915,

the Young Turks began the process of killing each and every Armenian. Over one and a half

million Armenians were exterminated. In 1922, Kemal Ataturk's armies eliminated

Christianity from Asia minor. Ataturk finished off the Pontian Greeks of the Black Sea

and Smyrna. Furthermore, upon establishing a Turkish Republic, he expelled over

one and a half million Greek Christians from their ancestral homelands.

In 1955, Turkish authorities instigated anti-Greek pogroms. Greek Orthodox men were

beaten in the streets while women were raped. Graves of Patriarchs of Constantinople were

ripped open and their remains scattered. Looters defacated inside Churches.

In 1964, Turkey expelled 10,000 Greeks from the holy city of Constantinople.

In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus expelling over 200,000 Greek Christians from the

occupied territories and looting and destroying Orthodox holy sites.

In 1971, Turkey closed the Ecumenical Patriarchate's only theological seminary as

a means of depriving it of future priests. It remains closed to this day. The Ecumenical

Patriarchate is not merely a local religious institution in Turkey, but

the center of the worldwide Eastern Orthodox Church, a status Turkey refuses to recognize.

The Republic of Turkey is planning to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ in the year

2,000. Old Churches in Asia minor are being restored as museums. This exploitation

of the Christian religion is an obscenity that must be opposed.

To either endorse or support Turkey's celebrations and the tourism Turkey hopes to attract

is disrespecful to those who were martyred or were displaced. For Turkey to use Christian

sites for commercial purposes after eliminating the Christians who once upheld those

sites is IMMORAL and OBSCENE!

Turkey's anti-Christian policies continue today. The Patriarchate is on the verge of extinction.

Turkey continues to choke the life of Christianity even while it exploits Christian

sites. The greatest of Eastern Orthodox Churches, Aghia Sophia is used as a museum by Turkey

although it was built by the Byzantine Greeks.

Turkey's campaign is false and misleading. There are many Churches in Constantinople

(Greek and Armenian) that will not be showcased. Among the Greek Churches are:

-the Ecumenical Patriarchate, center of Eastern Orthodoxy

who's prospering could be of great benefit to Turkey. Turkey isolates this institution

so it will eventually disappear. Tourists are not likely to be shown this holy place or

informed that Turkey continues to prevent its only seminary from

reopening.

- The Church of Panagia of Blachernae

One of the oldest Churches of Constantinople. This Church belongs to the Greeks

up to the present day. This Church was used by the Byzantines to give thanks to the

Virgin Mary after a victory over the Avars in 638 AD.

- The Zoodoochos Pege at Balikli,

This includes graves of Greek Patriarchs of Constantinople. It was desecrated in 1955

when rioters opened the graves and scattered the remains of Patriarchs.

Turkey has successfully cleansed its borders of Jesus Christ's servants.

For Turkey to arrogantly proclaim its desire to celebrate the birth of Christ is repugnant.

It is a propaganda campaign meant to deceive the world of what has happened to

Christians under Turkish rule in the twentieth century.

Turkish tour guides will proudly display old Churches with Byzantine mosaics that depict Jesus,

the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. Turkey will attempt to make claim to the Byzantine heritage

of Asia minor, a claim it has no right to make. Turkey destroyed Byzantium and is attempting

to destroy the last vestiges of Byzantine culture represented by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

There are two Greek Orthodox clerical martyrs who deserve mention for their

suffering at Turkish hands.

- Metropolitan Chyrsostomos of Smyrna (1922).

This Metropolitan was present at Smyrna when news came that the Turkish army would retake

the city from the Greeks. Chrystostomos rejected offers from the allies to escape the

city. He voluntarily remained in Smyrna to face catastrophe with his flock.

Upon his capture by a Turkish General, he was handed to Turkish mobs who cut off his beard

and then cut off his eyes, ears, nose, and hands. His remains were thrown into the sea.

-Chrysanthos Mantos

Chrysanthos Mantos was a ninety year old monk in Constantinople in 1955. He was

confined to bed due to his health and was watched over by two younger priests.

On the night of September 6, 1955, during the anti-Greek pogroms their monastary was

attacked. The two priests were beaten while the monastary was set on fire. The old monk,

Chrystanthos unable to move from his bed burned to death.

One need only multiply these two atrocities by two million or so to grasp the full

horror perpetrated against Christendom by Turkey this century. The murderous policies are

still in place and continue in Cyprus.

THIS TOURIST CAMPAIGN MUST BE OPPOSED!