Papa Eftim I (born Hristofor (Eftim) Karamanlis; 1883 – 22 August 1968) was a Turkish nationalist clergyman who founded and served as the first patriarch of the Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate, a self‑declared Orthodox church separate from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. He is also known as Papa Eftim I, with “Papa” being a colloquial Turkish term for “father” or “priest.”
Early life and background
- Born in 1883 in the village of Şenköy (present‑day Koyunlu) in the Ottoman Empire, in a Greek Orthodox family.
- Trained as an Orthodox priest under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Founding of the Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate
- In the early 1920s, amid the nationalist reforms of the Turkish Republic, he advocated for a Turkish‑language liturgy and a national church aligned with the new secular state.
- In 1922, with the support of Turkish nationalist authorities, he declared the establishment of the Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate (also referred to as the Turkish Orthodox Church).
- He was consecrated as “Papa Eftim I,” assuming the title of patriarch.
Activities and political alignment
- The church’s doctrine emphasized Turkish nationalism, the use of Turkish in worship, and loyalty to the Turkish Republic, distinguishing it from the Greek‑dominated Ecumenical Patriarchate.
- Papa Eftim I publicly supported the policies of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the secular reforms of the early Republic.
- He participated in public ceremonies and was often photographed alongside Turkish officials, promoting the idea of a Turkish Orthodox identity.
Succession and later years
- After his death on 22 August 1968, the patriarchal succession passed to his son, Papa Eftim II, and subsequently to later members of his family (Papa Eftim III and IV).
- The Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate has remained a small, largely unrecognized body within the broader Eastern Orthodox communion.
Legacy and reception
- The Patriarchate has never been recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate or other mainstream Orthodox churches.
- Scholars view Papa Eftim I’s movement as a manifestation of early Republican Turkish nationalism intersecting with religious identity, rather than a continuation of traditional Orthodox ecclesiology.
- His activities are cited in studies of religious minorities in Turkey, nationalist church reforms, and the complex relationship between the Turkish state and the Greek Orthodox community.
References
- Information compiled from historical accounts of the Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate and biographical entries in scholarly works on Turkish religious history.