He was particularly sharp Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew regarding the injustices received by the Patriarchate, but also those who speak of him for violating the Treaty of Lausanne due to the operation in Saint Mary of Soumela on the fifteenth of August.

During the request made yesterday at Panagia Koumariotissa in Nichori in Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch reported that it has not yet reached the Fanari written permission to operate in Sumela on the fifteenth of August. It is recalled that initially Fanari was verbally informed that will not be given this year permission to perform the mass at Panagia Soumela and then was informed, again orally, that permission is finally granted.

“Until now we have not received the written permission. It’s just verbal messages. After receiving them, we as the Patriarchate again issued a statement and said that the liturgy will be held again this year at Panagia Soumela”, said the Ecumenical Patriarch in his homily, in order to then formalize the reaction Turkish MP of the small “New Welfare Party”, who spoke about violation of the Treaty of Lausanne with the function in Sumela.

“Last night I was reading the newspaper clippings about the reactions that arose after the positive license was issued. A member of parliament from a small new party submitted a question to the parliament in Ankara, reacting and protesting my going there for the liturgy that I will do with God, if I will do it in the end… And the member of parliament said that with this liturgy, the Treaty of Lausanne. How come;” he wondered.

Others do not implement Lausanne, he continued, citing the closed one as an example Theological School of Halkibut also the decimation of the populationof Imbro and Tenedos with the events of ’64.

“If there is a violation of Lausanne, it exists in Imbro and Tenedo, it exists in the Theological School of Halki. Which Lausanne, as you know, a few days ago completed 100 years after signing in Switzerland. July 24 marked 100 years since the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne. Lausanne also says other things. For my hometown Imbro and beyond. For our own and our right to theological education. Halki remains closed. Lausanne says things that we lack, they didn’t give us until now. And the deputy is coming to tell us that we are violating the treaty” said Mr. Bartholomew with meaning in the indignant speech he uttered.

The Ecumenical Patriarch also referred to the cancellation, following pressure he received Turkish journalist Melike Capanof the report on the events of 1964 in his hometown of Imbro.

“Another nasty… These days it was going to happen in my hometown, Imbroa report by a girl journalist about the events that took place on 1964 and which caused Imbros and Tenedos to be emptied of the homogenous element. I should say that Imbros had 7-8 thousand Christians and with the events of ’64 there were 300 left. And today with the change for the better the 300 became 600. But where are the 7 thousand and where are the 600? So they forbade this girl to do the exhibition in a few days, because – she says – we can’t talk about what happened in the 60s. Let them not happen! Let them not happen!’ he stated, with obvious emotional charge, to add: “Why should we be ashamed to face reality? We must come to terms with our history, with our past. Let’s say figs figs and boats boats”.

The Patriarch added that “they don’t let us enjoy the joy of the liturgy in Sumela. Why; Such simple things! For a few hours we will go to pray according to our faith, according to our religion and we will return to our homes. Not even one day. Few hours”.

He also mentioned that he requested last year and this year also to celebrate the vespers of the Assumption of the Virgin in an old female Greek monastery at the heights of Trebizond, in Theoskepasti, and they said “no, only liturgy at Panagia Sumela”. “And so for the last 2-3 years I have been celebrating the vespers of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic church of Trebizond, which is very gladly given to us by the Catholic brothers.”

At the end of his sermon, the Ecumenical Patriarch welcomed the women from the cultural club Neohoriou Orestiadaand ended by saying: “Let’s have better days. To not have these micro-distresses, these discriminations. We are citizens, just like the rest of the citizens of this country, who have another religion and we have another religion. We respect each other, we must respect each other and live peacefully, harmoniously, beautifully, as God would want, who is the God of peace and love.