On the history of “Turkish Orthodox Church” appearing: a political project or luckless national autocephality

The article covers a little-known story of non-canonic Orthodox jurisdiction called “Turkish Orthodox Church” that appeared in 1920s as a schismatic organisation with strongly pronounced Turkish nationalism and extreme intolerance to the canonic Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church. A historical link between the orthodox citizens of Turkey with Greece stirred up ill-feeling in pro-Turkish nationalists. That caused raft of attempts to capture church property from the canonic churches. Despite uproars and big words schismatic didn't attract many orthodox and remained as uninteresting issue for Turkish politicians. Without any governmental support non-canonic “Turkish Orthodox Church” gradually turned into socio-political group of devoted nationalists that are mainly the relatives of priest Paul Karakissadiris, the founder of this religious organization. Today “Turkish Orthodox Church” being mostly a political project has liberal elements and denies canonic division of Orthodox Church of schismatic community.