Ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew acquitted in Turkish trial

ISTANBUL, Dec 20 (AFP) - A Turkish court on Monday acquitted Patriarch Bartholomew I, the leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, and other church elders of charges that they prevented a Bulgarian priest from carrying out his duties, the Anatolia news agency reported.
The court cleared Bartholomew I and 11 other members of the Holy Synod -- the governing council of the Church -- on grounds that their 2002 decision to remove the priest, Konstantin Kostof, from office did not constitute a crime.
The defendants could have each faced up to one year in prison if convicted of the rarely used charge of "preventing others from observing their faith and conducting religious services."
The trial opened last year following a complaint by a Bulgarian foundation which argued that the Patriarchate had no authority over the Bulgarian Church.
The Orthodox Church is often the scene of power struggles.
Bartholomew is the spiritual leader of 250 million Greek Orthodox worshippers in the world but is recognised by Ankara as only the head of the Greek Orthodox community in Turkey.

12/20/2004 13:05 GMT - AFP