On Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024, the New Consul of Turkey in Jerusalem, Mr Ismail Ҫobanoğlu, upon assuming his duties, was received by Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.
At this meeting, an interesting discussion took place about the relations of the present Patriarchate with the Ottoman Empire for four centuries (1571-1917) about the established Status Quo during this period through firmans, verats and other Ottoman documents, as well as Turkey’s current position on the multi-religious and multicultural regime of the City of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, which the Patriarchate promotes until today.