The Catholic Church and Anatolia

Abstract: The special relationship between the Catholic Church and Anatolia can be explained by the common and turbulent history of these two entities. Rome and Constantinople were two capitals of the Roman Empire. Nonetheless, Anatolia has gradually moved away from Rome although the Catholic Church has strengthened its authority from the tomb of Peter. Wars, religious quarrels and invasions have created a difficult and unstable relationship. Efforts have however been made to re-establish a closer union with the Orthodox denominations, but no attempt has succeeded in completely healing the rifts. Relations between Catholic Rome and Anatolia, now Turkey, have had and continue to have an undeniable international importance because of the location and power of Anatolia. This state relationship has also led to much suffering for Catholics on this land, the latter still being subject to local power, without the possibility of a real "appeal to the Pope". Beyond the situation of Christians and Catholics in Anatolia, relations between Rome and Anatolia still determine, to a large extent, the relationship between Turkey and Europe. The political process of re-Islamization of Turkey and its current neo-Ottoman discourse tends to give fundamental importance to the religious dimension of the relationship between Turkey and Europe.

Available in French.

18 May 2016

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