As Sevgi Erenerol, who bears the title "media and public relations officer of the Independent Patriarchate," remains in custody as part of last week's arrests in efforts to deal with shadowy networks within the state, the political role of the church she claims to represent has come to light.
The Turkish-speaking Karamanlı Greek community of Cappadocia in Anatolia supported the Turks during the War of Independence, said Elçin Macar, the author of "İstanbul Rum Patrikhanesi" (İstanbul Greek Patriarchate, 2003) and a professor at Yıldız Technical University's department of political science and international relations.
"Supporting the struggle of Turkish nationalists during the war, Father Eftim was a village priest and had no place in the hierarchy among other churches. He was preaching in Turkish although he was Greek Orthodox," he said.
Originally Pavlos Karahisarithis, Eftim was his religious name, and he later changed it to Zeki Erenerol. He is the great grandfather of Sevgi Erenerol.
"Even though he was married, Eftim became the preacher of a village church out of necessity and later became the leader of the patriarchate in Kayseri in 1922 under the name the 'Independent Patriarchate of the Turkish Orthodox'," Macar said.
But as the population exchange took place between Greeks and Turks, his small congregation in the area moved out of the country; Eftim and his family were exempted from the population exchange and moved to İstanbul in 1924, together with the patriarchate, Macar explained.
Father Eftim gained some followers in Galata, an area with a large Greek population.
Macar said Father Eftim was hostile to the Greek Patriarchate and claimed that the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in İstanbul was ethnically centered and favored the Greek population. However, most of the ethnic Turkish Orthodox in Turkey and Greece remain affiliated with the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in İstanbul.
In 1962 when Father Eftim was ill, his son Turgut (George) Erenerol was ordained as "Turkish Orthodox patriarch," taking the name Eftim II. The father died in 1968 and the Greek Orthodox Church refused to bury him in the Greek Orthodox cemetery, located in the Şişli district of İstanbul. The funeral proceeded only after an intervention by state authorities and was attended by Turkish dignitaries.
"Every time a member of this family dies, the burial of the deceased has required the Turkish state's intervention," Macar said. "The patriarchate is a title shared only by members of the Erenerol men in the family. They are married and still take the title against Christian tradition and rules."
Eftim II died in 1991 and again no priest wanted to conduct the funeral. His brother Selçuk Erenerol ascended to the patriarchate taking the name Eftim III. He died in 2002.
Sevgi Erenerol, the daughter of Selçuk Erenerol and the sister of Paşa Erenerol (the current Eftim IV), was arrested last week for alleged links to a Turkish nationalist underground organization named "Ergenekon." According to allegations, the Turkish patriarchate serves as a headquarters for the organization.
Known for her nationalist activities, she ran for Parliament as a candidate of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) at the time of MHP leader Alparslan Türkeş. She also showed up at trials based on Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which restricts freedom of speech, to support the prosecution of those who stood accused of violating the article.
Macar said today that the number of followers in the Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate is close to zero, excluding the Erenerol family, which governs the patriarchate.
The family owns a number of properties which belong to the "Independent Turkish Orthodox Foundation" around two churches in Galata, St. Nicholas and Panayia Kafatiani, both inactive.
When it comes to potential "patriarchs" in the family, Macar said there are Selçuk Erenerol's sister's sons Ümit and Erkin Kontoğlu as well as Turgut Erenerol's son Timur Erenerol.
"In an interview, Turgut Erenerol said, 'My father damaged my future, but I won't do the same for my son'," Macar said, adding, "So far, it seems like the patriarchate is a family dynasty."
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