Holy church of Panagia on Bozcaada reopens for worship

The historic Holy Church of Panagia on the island of Tenedos (Bozcaada), located in Türkiye’s Çanakkale province, officially reopened for worship on July 28, 2025, following extensive restoration work. The Divine Liturgy, held for the first time in years, was presided over by Patriarch Bartholomew.

At the first celebration of Saint Panteleimon in the church, Maximos Charakopoulos, a Member of the Greek Parliament from the New Democracy party and Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, expressed his hope to see the revival of the Greek Orthodox presence on Tenedos. Charakopoulos highlighted the recent resettlement of Greeks on the nearby island of Imbros (Gökçeada) and the reopening of schools there as signs of cautious optimism for the future. He expressed a desire for similar progress on Tenedos, emphasizing that the return of the Greek community could play a significant role not only in religious and cultural terms but also in fostering friendly relations between Türkiye and Greece.

Addressing the issue, Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the European Federation of Western Thrace Turks (ABTTF), stated:
“As the historic church on Tenedos, where now only a minimal number of Greek Orthodox minority members reside, reopens for worship, our motherland once again sets an example for our country. During the Divine Liturgy, Maximos Charakopoulos voiced his wish to increase the Greek population on Tenedos. As the Turkish community of Western Thrace, we request our country’s immediate recognition of our existence and equal treatment. As Greek citizens, we fulfill our tax obligations and actively contribute to the progress of Western Thrace. Sharing the same fate with the Greek Orthodox minority under the Treaty of Lausanne, we demand from our country to recognize for our community the same rights claimed by our motherland for them. This is what our country deserves, which consistently identifies itself as the cradle of democracy and is one of the oldest members of the European Union.”

This development marks a significant milestone for the Greek Orthodox minority in Türkiye, particularly in terms of cultural and religious heritage preservation. It also highlights ongoing discussions around minority rights and equality between Greece and Türkiye, with both Greek and Turkish minorities advocating for reciprocal recognition and respect.