The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All Holiness Bartholomew I, on Thursday expressed his hope and prayers for the reopening of the Theological School of Halki, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s historic but still-closed seminary, which is located on the small eponymous Marmara Sea isle.
His All Holiness reiterated that the reopening of the seminary, which was closed by Turkish authorities in 1971, will provide the Ecumenical Patriarchate with its theological appendage, as he said.
Speaking during an event at the school’s auditorium, on the occasion of the feast day of St. Photios the Great, one of the co-founders of the adjacent Monastery of the Holy Trinity on Halki, the Ecumenical Patriarch reminded that the seminary building will soon undergo a major renovation — thanking the Civil Gov. of Mount Athos, Athanasios Martinos for their significant donation towards financing the project.
Bartholomew stated that “…We would like to express to the very honorable Mr. Martinos the thanks and praise of the Mother Church of Constantinople.”
