A Turkish citizen has filed a lawsuit against Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos, accusing him of violating Turkish law by wearing his cassock in public spaces. The complaint claims that the Orthodox hierarch “walks the streets and participates in everyday life wearing religious clothing” and has attended public events, such as the openings of shops and bakeries, in full clerical attire. Footage attached to the lawsuit reportedly shows the Metropolitan dressed in a cassock and a kalimavkion, the traditional headdress of Orthodox Christian clergy.
According to ethnos.gr, one of the most striking aspects of the lawsuit is the plaintiff’s argument of “reciprocity” concerning the Muslim minority in Thrace, Greece. The complainant asserts that since Muslim clerics are allegedly not allowed to wear sariks (traditional turbans) in “Western Thrace,” Orthodox bishops in Turkey should likewise be prohibited from wearing religious attire in public.
Turkish law, reflecting the country’s strict secularism, permits only the Ecumenical Patriarch and the heads of all religious communities, including the top Muslim leader, to wear religious vestments in public. However, lower-ranking priests and religious figures are legally restricted from doing so. The lawsuit is based on this legal framework, although enforcement has been inconsistent, particularly regarding Muslim clerics.
The timing and motives behind the lawsuit raise concerns, as such legal actions are rarely pursued or upheld in court. Some observers interpret it as targeted harassment of Metropolitan Kyrillos rather than a genuine attempt to uphold the law.
Furthermore, the argument of reciprocity in relation to Thrace lacks any legal basis, as the restrictions on Christian clergy in Turkey are solely dictated by Turkish law, whereas Greece imposes no legal restrictions on the attire of Muslim religious figures.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
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