Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reportedly instructed officials to resume discussions regarding the reopening of the Halki Theological School, a long-standing issue that was also raised by U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of his expected visit to Ankara next month for the NATO Summit, according to a Reuters report.
The issue was discussed during talks between Trump and Erdoğan in Washington last year.
Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, a close associate of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, stated that the matter has entered a “new phase,” noting that the Turkish President has directed Turkey’s Council of Higher Education to continue negotiations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s committee.
Although no specific timetable has yet been established for the reopening of the historic seminary, Metropolitan Emmanuel stressed that, after decades of inactivity, “the ball is finally rolling” for the Patriarchate, marking the beginning of a formal institutional process.
He added that both sides must complete the renovation of the seminary complex and reach agreement on the legal and academic framework under which the Halki Theological School will operate.
