Pay attention to this letter!..

According to the Treaty of Lausanne, which serves as Turkey's title deed, Patriarch Bartholomew, the head of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople—a Turkish institution operating under the Fatih District Governorship—embarked on very significant new initiatives after strengthening his claim to being the "leader" of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians by inviting the spiritual leader of Catholics, Vatican Head of State Pope Leo XIV, to Nicaea (İznik) last November 27-29 under the pretext of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.

As the national agenda did not permit us to write about these developments, we will share them in more detail at the first opportunity; for now, let us recount just one of them.

Do you remember the scandal that occurred at the Ukraine Peace Summit held in Switzerland on June 15-16, 2024?

While Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attended the meeting representing Turkey, Patriarch Bartholomew was also invited as the "Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople" and delivered a speech there. Furthermore, Bartholomew signed the published final declaration alongside Turkey with the title "Ecumenical Patriarch."

Following public backlash, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson announced that explanations had been requested from Switzerland and Ukraine, stating that "there has been no change in our state policy regarding the status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople."

MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli, a partner in the People's Alliance, also reacted to this scandal, stating, "It is unacceptable for the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople to be invited to the summit under the title of the so-called 'Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople' and to be made to sign the final declaration," reminding everyone of the Treaty of Lausanne and that "there is no city called Constantinople within the borders of the Republic of Turkey," and adding that "they would never surrender to those who play the 'Ecumenical' card."

Why Didn't He Go to Davos?

As is known, on January 19-23, alongside the World Economic Forum in Davos, there was a signing ceremony for the Charter of the Peace Council, which Trump supposedly established for Gaza, but where the name of Gaza was not even mentioned.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan went to Davos not for the Economic Forum, but to sign the establishment of that council on behalf of Erdoğan.

Interestingly, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople issued a statement on January 22, one day before the end of the World Economic Forum meeting, announcing that "Patriarch Bartholomew had been invited to the Forum in Davos this year, as he had been many times in the past, but could not attend this extremely important international event due to his busy schedule."

First, I wondered under what title Patriarch Bartholomew had been invited to the meeting. However, his name was not on the guest list published on January 8.

Then, I researched which past World Economic Forum meetings he had been invited to. I determined that he was only invited to and attended the 50th meeting on January 21-23, 2020.

In that meeting, where Turkey was represented by the then-Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak, Minister of Trade Ruhsar Pekcan, and Central Bank Governor Murat Uysal, I saw that Patriarch Bartholomew was included in the guest list as a "civil society leader" with the exact following title, and was announced as such when he was about to give his speech:

"Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch"

Clearly, we were all asleep in 2020!..

Finally, I looked at what Bartholomew's busy schedule consisted of; other than his visit to Thessaloniki between January 28 and February 3, there was no other program visible.

Since it is unthinkable that Patriarch Bartholomew would pretend to reject an invitation that did not exist, there are two possibilities.

Either Switzerland asked Bartholomew not to come to avoid a second crisis after the Ukraine Peace Summit, or—though it is difficult in a period where we even learned from colonial governor Tom Barrack that the Halki Seminary would open in September 2026—Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan did not grant Bartholomew a visa!..

He Didn't Go, But He Still Did Things His Way

Yes, Patriarch Bartholomew did not go to Davos, or could not go; but look at what he did.

He conveyed the condolences and solidarity of the "mother church of Constantinople" to King Felipe VI of Spain via an "official" "Patriarchal letter" following the accident in which many people lost their lives due to a train collision in recent days.

He signed the letter with the following title:

"Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch"

While Russia Calls Him the "Antichrist"

It is known that there is a war between Russia and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople because, after separating the Ukrainian Church from the Russian Church, he has been carrying out similar work in the Balkan and Baltic countries.

Most recently, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a harsh statement, labeling Bartholomew a "robed antichrist" and saying, "The embodiment of the devil... He resembles false prophets..."

In response, the reply given on behalf of the "Mother Church of Constantinople" stated that "there is sadness regarding the new Russian attack on the person of the Ecumenical Patriarch," and emphasized that "imaginary scenarios, fake news, insults, and fabricated information will not deter the Ecumenical Patriarchate from continuing its service and mission."

According to Lausanne, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is a Turkish institution, and Patriarch Bartholomew is a Turkish citizen.

But Ankara does not raise any voice against the Patriarchate's activities, these accusations against Bartholomew, or this title that has now become thoroughly "officialized." Very strange, isn't it?!

Müyesser YILDIZ

January 25, 2026