Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Istanbul, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople or the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, known as the Fener Greek Patriarchate, is one of the 14 autocephalous churches that make up the Eastern Orthodox Church representing Orthodox Christianity. Istanbul, where the Fener Greek Patriarchate, the center of the Orthodox world, is located, and therefore the Fener district is considered the spiritual capital of the Orthodox. In terms of structure, considering its status in world Christianity, it is a relatively small structure due to the law of the Ottoman Empire, which states that all non-Islamic buildings should be smaller and more modest, according to Islamic laws.

Before the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul, the Patriarchate church was Hagia Sophia. After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the duty and status of the Patriarchate continued with the fatwa of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, and with the decree of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, the Greek Orthodox patriarchs were accepted as viziers. Thus, the patriarchs gained full administrative rights over their own communities. However, with the establishment of the Republic and the subsequent signing of the Treaty of Lausanne, all privileges granted during the Ottoman period were abolished, and the patriarchate took the name of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and lost its ecumenical status.

The Patriarch's seat, the Church of St. George, the library, the Holy Spring of St. Haralambos and other official sections of the church, which was built with a three-nave basilica plan, contain very ostentatious workmanship. In addition, the stone on which Jesus was believed to have been chained and flogged in Jerusalem, which has great spiritual importance for Orthodox Christianity, the bones of St. Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom - returned to the Church of St. George by Pope John Paul II -, coffins of saints and icons are kept as sacred relics. Today, those who come to the church dedicated to the Christian martyr St. George to become pilgrims are impressed by these objects and items.