ISTANBUL - Holy Synod of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate convened on Wednesday with the participation of six foreigners who have replaced Turkish members.
The Holy Synod, which is a ''religious obligation'' in Orthodox churches, did not have any special agenda, but it will take up religious issues for today's meeting.
The Holy Synod will continue its meeting also on Thursday.
Holy Synod of Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate is comprised of foreign members namely U.S. Archbishop Demetrios, British Archbishop Gregorios, Crete Archbishop Timoteos, Iznik Metropolitan (Finland) Ioannis, Bursa Metropolitan (New Zealand) Dionisios, Rhodes Metropolitan Apostolos, and members who are Turkish citizens namely Tarabya Metropolitan Constantinos, Teodoropouli Metropolitan Yermanos, Metron and Atiron Metropolitan Teoklitos, Gokceada and Bozcaada Metropolitan Kirillos, Adalar Metropolitan Iakovos and Sivas Metropolitan Demetrios.
Meanwhile, tight security measures were taken around the patriarchate.
The Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate on Tuesday released a statement in which it said that six foreigners were appointed to the Holy Synod instead of Turkish citizens ''because the size of our congregation and therefore of our clergy is limited and because some are aged and sick.''
The statement said that Orthodox churches were administered by a patriarchate and archbishop and the Holy Synod, which was ''a religious obligation'' in those churches.
This system was also valid in Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and was being applied for centuries, the statement pointed out.
Noting that the Holy Synod comprised of a patriarch and 12 metropolitans, the statement said that half of members of the Holy Synod changed by rotation every six months.
The statement added, ''our Patriarchate made the necessary arrangement so it could fulfill its responsibilities because the size of our congregation and therefore of our clergy is limited and because some are aged and sick. It deeply saddens us that some people have interpreted the aim differently and looked for political considerations behind it.''
(BRC-AÖ) 10.03.2004