When Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew told Bob Simon of 60 Minutes in 2009 that he feels “crucified” in Turkey, he was not merely expressing personal anguish; he was articulating a theological reality. The Patriarchate’s vulnerability in Istanbul is not a weakness to be escaped; it is the very condition of its spiritual authority.
The question of whether the Ecumenical Patriarchate should remain in Istanbul or relocate to a friendlier environment—Athens, Geneva, New York, or elsewhere—touches the very heart of Orthodox identity. It is not a new question. It has been debated for decades, and it has gained renewed urgency as the Patriarchate continues to navigate a difficult political environment in Turkey.
As someone born and raised in Istanbul who has lived in the United States for many decades, I have heard this question countless times. It surfaced memorably in 2009, when CBS correspondent Bob Simon interviewed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on 60 Minutes. The spiritual leader of the world’s roughly 300 million Orthodox Christians—the second largest Christian communion after Roman Catholicism—told Simon that he feels “crucified” living in Turkey. The revelation stunned many viewers. Ever since, and perhaps even long before that broadcast, Greek American Orthodox faithful have been asking: why does he put up with it? Why not simply leave?
