Greek Orthodox Church
Flag used by the Greek Orthodox Church and the standard of the self-governed monastic state of Mount Athos.
Founder
Independence
Recognition
Primate	Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Headquarters	Constantinople
Territory	Eastern Mediterranean & diaspora
Possessions
Language	Koine Greek
Adherents	23-24 million(about 50% in Greece)
Website

The Greek Orthodox Church (Monotonic Greek: Ελληνορθόδοξη Εκκλησία, Polytonic: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἑκκλησία, IPA: [elinorˈθoðoksi ekliˈsia]) is the body of several churches^[1][2][3] within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek,^[4] the original language of the New Testament.^[5][6] The church's current territory more or less covers areas in the Eastern Mediterranean that used to be a part of the Byzantine Empire.

Churches[link]

The churches where the Greek Orthodox term is applicable are:

• The four ancient Patriarchates:
  • The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople,^[7] headed by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who is also the "first among equals" of the Eastern Orthodox Communion
    • The four eparchies of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople:
      • The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain^[8]
      • The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Malta^[9]
      • The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America^[10]
      • The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia^[11]
  • The Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria^[12]
  • The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch^[13]
  • The Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem^[14]

• Two national autocephalous churches:
  • The Church of Greece^[15]
  • The Church of Cyprus^[16][17][18]

• The Orthodox Church of Mount Sinai^[19]

Another autocephalous church which can be described as Greek Orthodox is the Orthodox Church of Albania.^{[20][21][22][23]} Led since the collapse of the former Stalinist régime by Archbishop Anastasios, a Greek national, the Church conducts its liturgy in Koine Greek in the areas of Albania populated by the ethnic Greek minority.

History of the term[link]

Historically, the term Greek Orthodox has also been used to describe all Eastern Orthodox Churches, since "Greek" in "Greek Orthodox" can refer to the Greek heritage of the Byzantine Empire.^[24][25][26] During eight centuries of Christian history most major intellectual, cultural, and social developments in the Christian church took place within the Empire or in the sphere of its influence,^[26][27][28] thus most parts of the liturgy, traditions, and practices of the church of Constantinople were adopted by all, and still provide the basic patterns of contemporary Orthodoxy.^[29][30][31] However, the appellation "Greek" was abandoned by Slavic and other national orthodox churches in connection with their peoples' national awakenings, from as early as the 10th century A.D.^{[32][32][33][33][34]}

See also[link]

Eastern Christianity portal

References[link]

Notes

External links[link]

• Media related to Greek Orthodox Church at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Greek Orthodox Christianity Patriarchates Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople | Patriarchate of Alexandria | Patriarchate of Antioch | Patriarchate of Jerusalem Autocephalous and Autonomous churches Church of Greece | Church of Cyprus | Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania | Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai Eparchies Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Exarchate of Southern Europe | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Bill Raymond. The Greek is the head of an international criminal organization involved in narcotics and human trafficking.^[1] The Greek is a mysterious figure involved in numerous criminal activities. His given name is never mentioned on the show, and though he is known only as "The Greek", he has stated (in the episode Port in a Storm) that he is not actually Greek. A quiet and unassuming man, the Greek prefers to keep a low profile, operating all of his business through his lieutenant Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos. His smuggling organization operated from a small diner in Baltimore for years, and while Vondas would conduct business the Greek would listen in quietly at the counter. Nick Sobotka, upon seeing the Greek identify himself, was amazed that the shadowy figure had been in plain sight the entire time.

Despite his calm appearance, the Greek is cunning and ruthless, and only interested in facts that make him more money. Series creator David Simon has said that The Greek is an embodiment of raw unencumbered capitalism.^[2] Anyone interfering in this process is eliminated immediately, and he prefers to leave victims headless and handless to hinder identification.

The Greek's smuggling operation includes importing sex trade workers, illicit drugs, stolen goods and chemicals for drug processing. He bribes union stevedores to move containers through the Baltimore port for him and uses his muscle, Sergei "Serge" Malatov, to run containers back and forth from the port to his warehouse, a front managed by "Double G" Glekas. The Greek supplies the major drug dealers in East Baltimore with pure cocaine and heroin, using Eton Ben-Eleazer to move his drugs. His chief client is Proposition Joe, but he is also affiliated with smaller drug dealing organizations like those run by "White Mike" McArdle. His sex trade interests in Baltimore include a brothel run by a madam named Ilona Petrovitch, bringing in girls from eastern Europe. He manages to avoid prosecution for his crimes because an FBI counter-terrorism agent named Kristos Koutris tips him off if a criminal investigation gets too close. It is suggested he and Vondas may serve as federal informants.

Biography[link]

Season 2[link]

The Greek began to draw police attention in Baltimore when his contact at the docks, Frank Sobotka, became the target of an investigation. At the same time a container of thirteen dead young women intended for the sex trade was discovered at the docks, triggering a high-profile homicide investigation. The container belonged to the Greek and the girls were killed by a crewman onboard the vessel that had delivered them. The ship's crew had been paying the girls for sex and when one of the girls refused, she was killed. The crewman responsible dumped her overboard and collapsed the air pipe to kill the remaining women. The Greek had Sergei track the crewman down, interrogated him personally, and had Vondas kill him.

As the investigation continued the police were able to link Eton and Sergei to the drug smuggling operation. When police began tracking containers as they left the port, The Greek and Vondas began to close down the operation temporarily by dumping their cell phones and stealing "clean" containers. Persuading Sobotka to keep the smuggling operation going he bought further protection from Agent Koutris by betraying a load of Colombian cocaine, giving him time to destroy incriminating evidence in the warehouse and Glekas' store.

The Greek recognized that the investigation was too extensive to stop and made plans to leave, sending Vondas to assure Proposition Joe that supply of drugs would continue albeit with new faces. He attempted to buy Sobotka's silence with promised legal aid for his son, but when he learned from Koutris that Frank was planning to turn informant he had the union man killed. Although Frank's nephew Nick Sobotka was able to identify The Greek in a photo and Sergei was pressured to give up the location of his hotel suite, Vondas and the Greek had already boarded a flight to Chicago. Aware that the Greek and Vondas were gone, the police left the investigation behind and moved on to the drug dealers he supplied.

Seasons 4 & 5[link]

The Greek continued to supply "Proposition Joe" Stewart, who formed an organization with other drug dealers called the New Day Co-Op to provide The Greek's product to them in exchange for reduced violence and sharing of territory. When Omar Little steals an entire shipment of heroin from the Greek's men as it is being delivered to Stewart's people, Marlo Stanfield demands a meeting with Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos in order to allay his fears that Stewart was responsible.^[3][4] Once Stanfield is satisfied, he waits for the Major Crimes Unit's investigation into his activities to cease and then moves to establish a direct relationship with Vondas and the Greek. After getting in communication with Vondas through former soldier Sergei,^[5][6] Marlo eventually sells himself as Joe's replacement by convincing the Greek that he requires an insurance policy in the form of a replacement for Proposition Joe, in the event that anything should happen to him. Realizing that Stanfield will move against Stewart regardless of his approval, the Greek accepts Marlo's proposal to act as an "insurance policy," knowing that it will mean Joe's death.^[7][8]

After Stewart's murder, Stanfield meets with Vondas to initiate their new business relationship.^[9][10] Stanfield's tenure proves short lived when he is forced into retirement by an investigation, and the other Co-Op members purchase the connection from Stanfield. In the closing scenes of the series finale, Slim Charles and Fat-Face Rick take over meeting with Vondas while the Greek listens quietly in the background.^[11][12]

References[link]

The following is a list of significant men and women known for being the father, mother, or considered the founders mostly in Western socities in a field, listed by category. In most non-science fields, the title of being the "father" is debatable.

Church[link]

Games[link]

Humanities[link]

Military[link]

Nations[link]

Natural and social sciences[link]

Sports[link]

Technology[link]

Fields[link]

Inventions[link]

Towns, cities and regions[link]

Transport[link]

See also[link]

• List of inventors
• Father of medicare
• Founders of statistics

References[link]

Turkish Cypriots
Kıbrıslı Türkler

1st row: Fazıl Küçük · Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha · Kaytazzade Mehmet Nazım · Alparslan Türkeş · Rauf Denktaş 2nd row: Ziynet Sali · Fatih Terim · Işın Karaca · Leon Osman · Tracey Emin
Total population
est. 800,000-1,100,000 (see also Turkish Cypriot diaspora)
Regions with significant populations
Northern Cyprus 150,000-200,000 a [1][2]  Turkey 300,000-500,000 [3][4][5][6]  United Kingdom 300,000-400,000 [7][8][9][10]  Australia 40,000-60,000 [6][9][11][12]  United States 5,000-10,000 [13]  Canada 2,000 [9]  Cyprus 2,000 [14]
Languages
Cypriot Turkish
Religion
Predominantly Islam
Footnotes
a This figure does not include Turkish settlers from Turkey.

Turkish Cypriots (Turkish: Kıbrıs Türkleri or Kıbrıslı Türkler Greek: Τουρκοκύπριοι) are the ethnic Turks and members of the Turkish-speaking ethnolinguistic community of the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The term is used to refer explicitly to the indigenous Turkish Cypriots, whose Ottoman Turkish forbears colonised the island in 1571. About 30,000 Turkish soldiers were given land once they settled in Cyprus,^[15][16] which bequeathed a significant Turkish community; today's Turkish Cypriots.^[17]

History[link]

Ottoman troops landed in Cyprus in mid-May 1570 and conquered it within a year from Venetian rule.^[18] The Turkish arrival to the island was welcomed by the Greek Cypriots as it was an improvement on Catholic domination and on the hope that 'anybody was better than the Venetians.'^[18][19][20] After the defeat of the Venetians in 1571, the Turkish commander, Lala Mustafa Paşa, chose 12,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalrymen to stay behind as colonists.^[21] Furthermore, a substantial number of Turkish soldiers and their families from the Mediterranean region of Turkey, approximately 20,000, went to Cyprus and were given fiefs on the island. A fief was a parcel of real estate given by Sultan Selim II to his soldiers in return for their service to him.^[16] By the late sixteenth century there was an estimated 40,000-60,000 Turks in Cyprus.^[22]

Throughout the Ottoman rule, the demographic ratio between Christian "Greeks" and Muslim "Turks" fluctuated constantly.^[23] By 1777-1788 the Turkish Muslim (and some Greek Muslim) population constituted the majority on the island, with 40,000 Muslim Turks and 37,000 Christian Greeks.^[24] In 1788-1792 Turks were estimated at 45,000 compared to 40,000 Greeks.^[24] However, by 1841, Turks made up 27% of the island's population.^[25] The reason for this decline is because the Turkish community were obliged to serve in the Ottoman army for years, usually away from home, very often losing their lives in the endless wars of the Ottoman Empire.^[26]

By 1878, during the Congress of Berlin, Cyprus was 'rented' to the British with the condition that Britain would come to the Ottoman Empire's aid in case of a Russian attack. However, in 1914, the Ottoman Empire established an alliance with Germany, Britain annexed Cyprus, and the island became a British colony.^[27] At this time, Cyprus' Muslim inhabitants were asked to choose between adopting British nationality and retaining their Ottoman subject status; this resulted in 4,000-8,500 Muslim Turks choosing to leave the island and move to Turkey.^[28] By July 1923, Turkey accepted that Cyprus had become a British territory under the Treaty of Lausanne and almost half of the Turkish community, approximately 15,000, immigrated to Turkey.^[29] Furthermore, the Great Depression of 1929 brought economic depression to Cyprus with unemployment and low wages.^[30] Thus, Turkish Cypriots started to immigrate in small numbers to the United Kingdom and the United States during the 1930s for economic reasons.^[31]

An old Turkish Cypriot quarters in Paphos (1969).

In 1950 a referendum was held by the Greek Cypriots in which 95.7% of eligible Greek Cypriot voters cast their ballots in supporting a fight aimed at enosis, the union of Cyprus with Greece.^[32] By 1955, the Greek Cypriot fight for enosis was led by an armed organisation called EOKA by Georgios Grivas which aimed at bringing down British rule and uniting the island of Cyprus with Greece. Turkish Cypriots had always reacted immediately against the objective of enosis; thus, the 1950s saw many Turkish Cypriots who were fleeing the EOKA.^[33] By 1958, Turkish Cypriots set up their own armed group called TMT and by early 1958, the first wave of armed conflict between the two communities began, a few hundred Turkish Cypriots left their villages and quarters in the mixed towns and never returned.^[34]

Turkish flag (left) and Turkish Cypriot flag (right) on the Pentadaktylos mountains.

By 16 August 1960, the island of Cyprus became an independent state, the Republic of Cyprus, with power sharing between the two communities under the 1960 Zurich agreements, with Britain, Greece and Turkey as Guarantor Powers. Archbishop Makarios III was elected as president by the Greek Cypriots and Dr. Fazıl Küçük was elected as vice-president by the Turkish Cypriots. The two ethnic groups continued to pursue their separate objectives of enosis and taksim. In December 1963, in events known as Bloody Christmas (tr:Kanlı Noel),^[35] Greek Cypriots initiated a military campaign against the Turkish Cypriots, after which intercommunal clashes continued until 1974.^[36] Turkish Cypriots suffered heavier casualties and some 25,000 Turkish Cypriots became internally displaced, amounting to about a fourth of their population.^[34][34][37] This resulted in an exodus of Turkish Cypriots, with the majority migrating to the United Kingdom while others went to Turkey, North America and Australia.^[38]

With the rise to power of the Greek military junta in 1967, a group of right-wing Greek extremists supporting the union of Cyprus with Greece created an organisation called EOKA B, an analogous organization to the Turkish TMT and staged a coup in 1974.^[39] This led to a military offensive by Turkey which used its right as one of the guarantor states and invaded the island.^[34]. Turkish troops killed a lot of Greek Cypriot Citizens. Many Greek Cypriots are missing since then. After the Turkish invasion and the ensuing 1975 Vienna agreements, 60,000 Turkish Cypriots who lived in the south of the island fled to the north.^[40] The 1974-1975 movement was strictly organised by the Provisional Turkish Administration who tried to preserve village communities intact.^[34]

Thus, Cyprus was divided into two zones, separated by the green line, which was first established in 1964.^[41] In the north, the Turkish Cypriots first declared the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus in 1975, and in 1983 they unilaterally declared the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus which has since remained internationally unrecognized except by Turkey.^[40] In April 2004, a referendum of the Annan Plan to reunite the island was strongly approved by Turkish Cypriots (64.9% voting “yes”) whilst it was strongly rejected by the Greek Cypriots (75.8% voting “no”). The plan as Greek Cypriots argued gave match more power to Turkish Cypriot than they had till then, so it is the high percentage of rejection by the Greek Cypriots.

Culture[link]

The Ottoman Turkish Hala Sultan Tekke, located in Larnaca.

The historic Büyük Han which houses a mosque has become a thriving centre of Turkish Cypriot culture.

	Kıbrısım noicon Dillirga noicon Güzelim noicon Al Yemeni Mor Yemeni noicon
Problems listening to these files? See media help.

Religion[link]

The majority of Turkish Cypriots (99%) are Sunni Muslims.^[42] Turkish Cypriots are not conservative and many do not actually practice the religion.^[43] For example, alcohol is frequently consumed by Turkish Cypriots and women dress casually. In fact, the majority of Turkish Cypriots are overwhelmingly secular.^[42] However, religion still plays a role within the community; for example, Turkish Cypriot boys are generally circumcised at a young age in accordance with religious beliefs; however, this practice appears more related to custom and tradition than to powerful religious motivation.^[44]

In the 300 years of Ottoman rule in Cyprus, the Turks built mostly religious buildings on the island. Hala Sultan Tekke near the salt lake in LarnakaRowan-moorhouse 2007, 186.</ref>^[45]) and the Mevlevi Tekke in Nicosia are considered to be the most important two tekkes.^[46]

Language[link]

The Cypriot Turkish dialect is relatively distinct from standard Turkish used in Turkey as it is more casual than the formal standard Turkish. The words (mainly verbs) have short, cut ends with some lengthy vowels at the end of each sentence. For example, instead of saying 'ne yapiyorsun?' (what are you doing?), the Cypriot dialect shortens this to 'napan?'.

However, since the establishment of the TRNC, mainland Turkish has become more influential; the influence of Turkish television has also contributed to this.

Music and dances[link]

Folk music and dancing is an integral part of social life among Turkish Cypriots. Traditional Turkish Cypriot folk dances can be divided into 5 categories: Karsilamas, Sirtos, Zeybeks, Ciftetellis / Arabiyes, and Topical Dances (such as Orak, Kozan, Kartal and Topal). The folk dancing groups usually have performances during national festivals, weddings, Turkish nights at hotels and within tourism areas.

Demographics[link]

The northern areas of the island of Cyprus are administered by Turkish Cypriots.

According to the 2006 Northern Cyprus Census, there was 145,443 Turkish Cypriots who were born and currently living in North Cyprus.^[47] Of the Cypriot-born population, 120,007 had both parents born in Cyprus; 12,628 had one of their parents born in Cyprus and the other born in another country. Thus, 132,635 Turkish Cypriots had at least one parent born in Cyprus.^[48]

Diaspora[link]

There is a strong Turkish Cypriot community living in London, United Kingdom.

There was significant Turkish Cypriot emigration from the island during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, mainly to Great Britain, Australia, and Turkey. Emigration from Cyprus has mainly been for economical and political reasons. According to the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 2001, 500,000 Turkish Cypriots were living in Turkey; 200,000 in Great Britain; 40,000 in Australia; some 10,000 in North America; and 5,000 in other countries (mainly in Germany).^[6]

A more recent estimate, in 2011, by the Home Affairs Committee states that there is now 300,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the United Kingdom^[7] whilst Turkish Cypriots themselves claim that the British-Turkish Cypriot community has reached 400,000.^[9] Furthermore, recent estimates suggest that there is now 60,000 Turkish Cypriots living in Australia.^[9][12]

Famous Turkish Cypriots[link]

• Adam Booth - Boxing Trainer and Manager to David Haye
• Alparslan Türkeş - Far Right Nationalist Leader in Turkey
• Alp Mehmet - UK Ambassador to Iceland 2004 - 2008
• Asil Nadir - Former CEO of Polly Peck International PLC
• Billy Mehmet - Scottish Premier League footballer
• Colin Kazim-Richards - Galatasaray and Turkish International Football Player
• Derviş Eroğlu - Current President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Derviş Ali Kavazoğlu - Member of Progressive AKEL party who was assassinated by TMT
• Fatih Terim - Football manager of Galatasaray
• Fatima Whitbread - World Champion Javelin Thrower
• Fazıl Küçük - First Vice-President of the Republic of Cyprus
• Fazıl Önder - Journalist and peace fighter who was assassinated by TMT
• Feri Cansel - Actress
• Hal Ozsan - Actor (Dawson's Creek, Kyle XY)
• Haldun Dormen MBE - Actor
• Hussein Chalayan - Fashion Designer
• İsmet Güney - (Artist) Creator of the Republic of Cyprus flag
• Kemal Izzet Colchester United Football Player
• Kıbrıslı Mehmed Emin Pasha - 3-times Ottoman Empire Grand Vizier in mid-19th century
• Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha- 5-times Ottoman Empire Grand Vizier in late-19th and early-20th century
• Leon Osman - Everton Football Player
• Lawrence Rustem - Councillor for British National Party
• Mehmet Ali Talat - Second President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Mehmet Nazım Adil - Naqshbandi Sufi Sheikh
• Meliz Redif - 400 Metre Runner
• Meral Ece OBE - Baroness House of Lords
• Metin Huseyin - Film Director
• Muzzy Izzet - Former Leicester and Birmingham City Football Player
• Nil Burak - Singer
• Niyazi Berkes - Sociologist
• Okan Ersan - Guitarist, composer and recording artist.
• Osman Türkay- Poet, nominee for the Nobel Prize for Literature
• Özker Özgür - Politician
• Rauf Denktaş - First President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Suat Günsel, Businessman and billionaire
• Tamer Hassan - Actor
• Tracey Emin - Artist
• Vamik Volkan - Psychoanalyst and Author
• Zeki Alasya - Actor
• Ziynet Sali - Singer

See also[link]

• Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Turkish Cypriot diaspora
• Northern Cypriot passport
• Cyprus
• Greek Cypriots
• Cypriot refugees
• List of Cypriots
• Cypriot Turkish

References[link]