“It is incomprehensible and unjustified,” said Archbishop Elpidophoros of America regarding the Turkish government’s continuing refusal to allow the reopening of the Halki seminary, which has been closed for 49 years.
Archbishop Elpidophoros, who had served as abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery for many years and it was during his tenure that the seminary gained new impetus and interest, as its premises were used for cultural events and international scientific conferences, made a statement to in.gr in the wake of the announcement of establishment of the Center for Islamic Studies in Halki.
In the same statement, he stressed that the reopening of the Halki seminary will signal Turkey’s desire to be recognized as a modern country, whose government will represent all its citizens, regardless of their religion and faith.
Read the full statement of Archbishop Elpidophoros of America
“The Halki seminary has been closed for 49 years under the pretext of an unfair decision regarding higher private education.
In today’s Turkey, despite repeated promises from without and within the country, the government’s continuing refusal to allow its reopening is becoming increasingly incomprehensible and unjustified, and violates the fundamental human rights, such as the right to education and the religious freedom of education and training for a world-class church institution such as the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
We pray that our hopes will not be dashed.
The reopening of the leading spiritual institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate will signal Turkey’s desire to be recognized as a modern country, whose government will represent all its citizens, regardless of their religion and faith.”
