“The reopening of the Halki seminary is a matter of both historical memory and continuity for the Patriarchate and the Greek Expats in Constantinople” said Kostas Dervos, president of ONNED and candidate MEP with New Democracy, at his meeting today with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Dervos received the blessings of the Ecumenical Patriarch at the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen of Adrianople, where the Orthodox Primate was attending the 4rth Salutations. The discussion was also attended by Metropolitan Amphilochios of Adrianople, Bishop Kyrillos of Abydos and Archimandrite Symeon Avgoustakis from the Metropolis of Ilion, Acharnes and Petroupolis.
Dervos assured the Ecumenical Patriarch that he will strive, among other things, for the reopening of the Halki seminary, a fixed, lasting but primarily legitimate request of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. “This, unfortunately, is simply the pinnacle of the violations of the religious freedoms that our Orthodox brothers in Turkey suffer,” he added.
