Ecumenical only 5%

Initially, Byzantine Empire was the center of Orthodoxy. Byzantines spread Orthodoxy to other areas. Ottomans could conquer Constantinople in 1453 AD because Byzantine Empire was weakened after the sack of Constantinople by Western Europeans in 1204 AD. Most Orthodox communities in Balkans came under Ottoman rule. Also Muslims had conquered Egypt. Alexandria was at that time a flourishing Orthodox area.

After the sack of Constantinople by Ottomans, Constantinople's Patriarch became the leader of Orthodox Christians in Ottoman Empire. Since, they were under Ottoman rule, Constantinople stopped being the center of Orthodoxy. A large percentage of Byzantine upper class migrated. Mainly, they moved to Italy and Russia. We do not have an estimate of the numbers that left Constantinople. According to one source, after the migration of Byzantines, one third of the population in Venice were Byzantines.

Two decades after the sack of Constantinople, Ivan III of Russia married Sophia Palaiologina, the niece of last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos. Since Constantinople and Alexandria were under Ottoman rule, Moscow was the only independent Orthodox city. Russia became the center of Orthodoxy. Russians took up the role Byzantines had for centuries. They spread Orthodoxy further to other areas. They even reached China and Japan.

Russian Orthodox Church began in 988 AD, with the christianization of Kievan Rus. After capturing Crimea, Vladimir the Great demanded that Byzantines sent there the sister of Emperor Basil II Porphyrogenitus. Basil II was obliged to Vladimir because he had requested assistance in some military operations. The condition for the marriage was that Vladimir would be baptized in Crimea. Vladimir and his subjects were baptized by clergy men of Constantinople's Patriarchate.

Kiev became less important after the Mongol invansions in mid 13th century. In 1299 AD, Metropolitan Maximus moved his seat to Vladimir, 200 km (120 mi) east of Moscow. Metropolitan Peter moved his seat to Moscow in 1325 AD. In 1448 AD, Russian Church declared autocephaly. All autocephalous Churches are not under the jurisdiction of another Church.

In 1830, Greece became independent. Around that time, other Balkan Orthodox countries also gained their independence. In 1917, Russian Revolution occurred. After World War II, Greece was the only country in Eastern Europe that was not in Communist Bloc. Churchill was interested in Greece's long seashore because Britain was a naval power. Soviet Union was a land army power and Stalin was interested in the rest of the Balkans.

Although religion did not become illegal in communist countries, all policies were against religion. During the communist era, Orthodox Christians were mostly Greeks because in communist countries religion had declined considerably due to anti-religion policies. So the only active Orthodox Christians in the world were in Greece, Cyprus and Greek diaspora.

While ancient Greeks and Byzantines did many smart things, Greeks after 1830 have done many stupid things. For some strange reason, they accepted Patriarchate of Constantinople as Ecumenical. This was something very foolish because Constantinople was in Turkiye and the number of Orthodox Christians in Turkiye was decreasing very fast.

They accepted and still accept Constantinople's Patriarchate as Ecumenical even if it had to oblige to Turkish laws. Patriarch is elected by Metropolitans of the Throne Synod. All have to be Turkish citizens. Not only Orthodox Church is a big mess but Greek Orthodox Church is even bigger mess. Many Metropolitans in Greece are not under the jurisdiction of Greek Orthodox Church (Athens) but the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Since during communist period the rest of Orthodox countries did not have much interest in religious affairs, Patriarchate of Constantinople may have been Ecumenical. The only active Orthodox were Greeks, Cypriots and their diaspora. Communism ended in Eastern Europe during the late 80's and revival of Orthodoxy started. Bartholomew became Patriarch in 1991.

In Greece, Cyprus and Greek Diaspora, they have to realize that it is extremely harmful to accept the primate of Turkish Orthodox Church as Ecumenical Patriarch. It is very negative if the Ecumenical Partiarchate is in Constantinople. No wonder Greece has so many problems with all the stupid things they do. Suppose that they insist on their stupidity and continue accepting Turkish Patriarch of Constantinople as Ecumenical.

Greece's population is ten million and Cyprus's one. Greek diaspora is estimated in the range of five to seven million, so we will take the average, six million. Greece Cyprus and Greek diaspora have a total population of seventeen million. Not all of them are Orthodox but a very large percentage. In Greece and Cyprus, the percentage is around 90%. In diaspora it could be more.

Let's say that they are sixteen million. Total number of all Orthodox is almost three hundred million. Even if Greek, Cypriots and Greek diaspora insist to accept a Turkish citizen, residing in Turkiye as Ecumenical Patriarch, they are only roughly 5% of the total population of Orthodox Christians. Bartholomew poses as the Patriarch of all Orthodox Christians while he is only 5% Ecumenical.

He had met a few times with previous Pope Francis. Recently he met with new Pope Leon. He has met with other religious leaders, presidents and prime ministers of many countries. All these people erroneously assume that he is the leader of all Orthodox while in reality only 5% of the Orthodox accept him as Ecumenical, he is the leader of only 5%. In the previous article, we stated that Bartholomew could be prosecuted for falsely claiming to be Ecumenical Patriarch.

Patriarchs of Constantinople before him made the same claim. First of all, as we explained, dead people are judged by God and can't be prosecuted by a human court. Another very important point is that during communist period, their claim was much more valid. Since religion had declined in communist countries, Patriarch of Constaninople was accepted as Ecumenical by Orthodox Christians that were active, Greeks, Cypriots and Greek diaspora.

But this changed around the same time Bartholomew became Patriarch of Constantinople. Now, Orthodox Christians are almost twenty times more than Greeks, Cypriots and Greek diaspora. Bartholomew could get into some very serious trouble but he has a way out. He can do what is right, make the necessary changes. Alternatively, he could renounce Ecumenical authority so that a real Ecumenical Patriarch can be elected.

Pope, Patriarch and the war   Orthodox decline   Byzantium was not Roman   Hellenes, Thracians, Illyrians 1