NAT da Polis

Cardinal Parolin has received an official letter of invitation for Pope Francis. On 15 April, the pope, together with the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople and the Orthodox archbishop of Athens will be in Lesbos to meet refugees stranded on the island. "Europe has become insignificant in global terms because it has commodified Christianity". The ecumenical journey is the joint mission of Christians in the contemporary world.

Those believed responsible include TAK, Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, an even more radical branch of the PKK. Doubts shroud Turkey’s geopolitical role in the Middle East chessboard. Erdogan’s rising popularity.

Death toll so far is of 28 dead and 61 wounded. Media blackout, only official statements published. Suspicions point to PKK. Turkey’s ambiguity on Islamic State and war in Syria.

Because of Turkey’s political situation and tensions with Russia, the Synod originally planned for Istanbul will now take place in Switzerland at Pentecost. The agenda includes eight points on which there is agreement. The other two – the Orthodox diaspora and the hierarchy between the Churches – have failed to elicit an agreement. Other Churches have been invited to send representatives.

Success in election held in an atmosphere of intimidation and the exaltation of Kurdish threat. Far-right party suffers greatest loss. But not big enough majority to change Constitution, nor to hold a referendum.

Confusion reigns in Ankara over number of victims from twin suicide bombing and perpetrators. Erdogan's party blames the PKK, leftist movements and Isis. The Kurdish party accuses the government of exploiting tensions to win the elections on November 1st

Air strikes against IS in Syria and PKK targets in northern Iraq are a last ditch attempt to save Erdogan’s neo-Ottoman policies. A great game is being played out in the Middle East to redesign the borders between Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. The United States also seems to be using IS. The Incirlik air bases is part of the bargaining between Washington and Ankara.

Selahattin Dermitas’ Party exceeds 10% threshold, originally set to block Kurdish access to political world. Erdogan’s dream of changing the constitution postponed. The Kurdish secular proposal defeats Erdogan’s religious Islamism, among IS supporters.

Tensions are running high in an election that saw a possible bomb attack in the Kurdish region with 4 dead and 100 wounded during the closing speech of the Kurdish party leader. Despite his required impartiality, Turkey’s president led a campaign in favour of his own party. At least 330 seats are needed to change the constitution and make Turkey a presidential republic.

In addition to the mass slaughter of more than a million Armenians, the Young Turks regime islamised the orphans and women who survived the massacres. Several Turkish historians show that modern Turkey was founded on a "national-fascist" conception of the state, in which Turkish and Islamic were synonymous. The Armenian genocide was followed by a policy of eliminating other Christian minorities, including the Greek Orthodox. Modern Turkey, and Erdogan, do not know how to ask for forgiveness.

The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople asks all the faithful to engage in conversion to God and love of brother. We are like "broken pots ... every day because of the evil." Rediscovering our "likeness to God" to turn away from the "horrible crimes that we see these days hit the entire world."

The Pope's trip to Turkey is primarily of ecumenical importance, but also to give witness. Christian unity, founded on faith and common witness of the martyrs, urges greater commitment to a world which in theory is united by finance, but in reality is divided and disintegrated from the social point of view. A possible appeal for joint commemoration of Nicea and joint condemnation of the massacre of Christians. Which is also taking place on Turkish borders.