Papa Eftim III

Eftim III. ( civil Selçuk Erenerol, * 1926, † 20 December 2002) was the third patriarch of the autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate, a not recognized by the Greek Orthodox Church Christian denomination with strong influences of Turkish nationalism.

Selçuk Erenerol was the younger son of Papa Eftim I and the younger brother of Eftim II Erenerol was a businessman and entrepreneur. He was married to Klavdiya Erenerol. The couple had two daughters and a son.

After Patriarch Eftim II died in May 1991, was Selçuk Erenerol as Eftim III. Patriarch. Eftim III. led from 1991 until his resignation in 2002, the patriarchy, according to political disagreements with the Turkish government on the growing relations between the State and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople Opel and the Turkish quest for accession to the European Union.

Papa Eftim III. died on 20 December 2002 just weeks after the resignation of his office. He was buried on 22 December at the Greek Orthodox Cemetery in Şişli. Was succeeded by his son Paşa Ümit Erenerol entitled Eftim IV