Turkish nationalists are calling on the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to revoke the passport of Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the highest ranking Greek Orthodox cleric in the US.
As a Turkish citizen, the archbishop is one of the few clerics eligible to become the next Patriarch of Constantinople. The holder of this position is often called the “spiritual leader” of Eastern Orthodox Christians, though this status is contested.
Critics of Elpidophoros believe he should be stripped of his Turkish citizenship for repeatedly referring to the Patriarch of Constantinople as “ecumenical”. This, which means the position represents a number of different Christian Churches, is a nod to the potential global authority of the office. Turkey does not recognise the patriarch’s ecumenical status.
