On November 6, 2025, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (AEP)’s Patriarchal Properties and Legal Issues Committee (PPL) held a landmark forum on the critical need for the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey to gain legal identity under Turkish law for its future preservation.
The two speakers were the Hon. Senior Judge Delissa A. Ridgway of the U.S. Court of International Trade and Archon George S. Kounoupis, Esq., Chair of the Legal Identity Subcommittee of the PPL. Judge Ridgway and Archon Kounoupis delivered a highly informative and powerful presentation which highlighted the plight of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey. They also provided a well-reasoned legal analysis of why it is so important for the Ecumenical Patriarchate to have legal identity under Turkish law, and provided possible actions that might be taken by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to obtain such legal identity.
The event was held at the prestigious University Club in Washington, D.C., which provided a beautiful conference room and delicious hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and desserts. 83 people attended, including many Archons and their family members from Florida to New York, as well as the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area priests, Georgetown and American University students, and business leaders from the Washington area. Archon Regional Commander Andy Manatos, who gave the welcoming remarks, congratulated the Patriarchal Properties and Legal Issues Committee for “holding an excellent, well attended, highly informative forum which hopefully will lead to future action to help preserve the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey.”
The AEP recognizes the outstanding efforts of the Patriarchal Properties and Legal Issues Committee, which is headed by Chairman Joseph J. Kokolakis and Vice Chairman Theodore M. Kakoyiannis, in organizing this important event. Also instrumental in spearheading this event were Regional Commander Manatos and Archons Kounoupis and Anthony W. Djinis.
The AEP also wishes to thank Leah Kats and Archon John Mindala for their assistance in executing the administrative tasks necessary to make this event a success, as well as the Archons who sponsored this event. The AEP likewise wishes to express its deep appreciation to Judge Ridgway for sharing her legal expertise, and viewpoints, and most importantly for offering to provide assistance in the future. The Archons are grateful as well to Archon Kounoupis, not only for presenting his excellent legal analysis at this event, but also for preparing an illuminating 53-page White Paper, “Legal Identity and the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Greek Orthodox Minority Under Turkish Law.”
