ANTALYA, Turkey — The popular resort city of Antalya, the heart of the Turkish Riviera, has found itself on a major fault line in the world of Eastern Orthodoxy, with the divisions becoming increasingly visible since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

The schism took place in 2018 after the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarchate decided to grant the Ukrainian Orthodox Church autocephaly, paving the way for the latter’s split from the Patriarchate of Moscow. 

Antalya’s Orthodox community, which consists mostly of migrants from the former Soviet Union, is one of the largest Christian communities in Turkey. Even before the conflict in Ukraine, the Mediterranean city was the primary residence of 30,000 Russians. This number has increased dramatically in recent months, particularly after Moscow’s declaration of partial mobilization.

More than 80 daily flights connect Russia to Antalya, bringing in new residents as well as millions of tourists per annum. Antalya is also home to a significant Ukrainian community. The number of resident Ukrainians has risen notably since the start of the conflict in February.