IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 220 
Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical 
Patriarchate. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 6, 2009 
Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Ms. WATSON, and Mr. BILIRAKIS) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms 
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 
Whereas the Ecumenical Patriarchate is the spiritual home of 
the world’s oldest and second largest Christian Church, 
adding to the rich cultural tapestry of Istanbul, Turkey; 
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is one of the 
world’s preeminent spiritual leaders, representing ap-
proximately 300,000,000 Orthodox Christians worldwide; 
Whereas the United States Congress has bestowed the Con-
gressional Gold Medal on Ecumenical Patriarch Bar-
tholomew; 
Whereas the entire world, other than Turkey, recognizes the 
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul as the Ecumeni-
cal Patriarchate; 
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•HRES 220 IH 
Whereas the 2,000-year-old Sacred See of the Ecumenical 
Patriarchate will disappear in the foreseeable future, un-
less Turkey changes its policies, as there are less than 
2,500 Greek Orthodox citizens of Turkey, most of whom 
are elderly; 
Whereas the disappearance of the See would mean the end 
of a crucial link between the Christian and the Muslim 
world since the continuing presence of the Ecumenical 
Patriarchate in Turkey is a living testimony of religious 
coexistence since 1453; 
Whereas the Ecumenical Patriarchate has a record of reach-
ing out and working for peace and reconciliation amongst 
all faiths and has fostered dialogue among Christians, 
Jews, and Muslims; 
Whereas in 1993, the European Union defined the member-
ship criteria for accession to the European Union at the 
Copenhagen European Council, obligating candidate 
countries to have achieved certain levels of reform, in-
cluding stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, 
the rule of law, and human rights, and respect for and 
protection of minorities; 
Whereas the Turkish Constitution secures religious rights for 
all Turkish citizens; 
Whereas the Government of Turkey has failed to recognize 
the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s international status; 
Whereas the Government of Turkey has limited to Turkish 
nationals the candidates available to the Holy Synod of 
the Greek Orthodox Church for selection as the Ecumeni-
cal Patriarchate and reneged on its agreement to reopen 
the Theological School at Halki, thus impeding training 
for the Orthodox clergy in Turkey; and 
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•HRES 220 IH 
Whereas the Government of Turkey has confiscated without 
compensation significant quantities of property belonging 
to the Ecumenical Patriarchate properties and has puni-
tively taxed the Balukili Hospital of Istanbul, which is 
operated by the Ecumenical Patriarchate: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) calls on Turkey to pledge to uphold and 
safeguard religious and human rights; and 
(2) calls on Turkey to eliminate all forms of 
discrimination, particularly those based on race or 
religion, and immediately— 
(A) grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate ap-
propriate international recognition and eccle-
siastic succession; 
(B) grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate the 
right to train clergy of all nationalities, not just 
Turkish nationals; and 
(C) respect the property rights of the Ecu-
menical Patriarchate. 
Æ 
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