by Romfea.news
Abbot of Halki and Metropolitan of Bursa Elpidophoros, characterized the visit of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday at the Halki seminary (formally Theological School of Halki), as a historical event, also expressing his estimation that this visit strengthens the Ecumenical Patriarch’s struggle for the reopening of the seminary.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) and responding to a question on whether the Greek Prime Minister will also visit Hagia Sophia, Metropolitan Elpidophoros said that this fact “impresses and delights us”, pointing out how important this is.
In his interview, the Abbot of Halki said that “it is very important when a Greek Prime Minister also schedules a visit to the Halki seminary, during his official visit to Turkey.”
“And apart from this, he is actually going to hold his established meeting with the Ecumenical Patriarch and Head of Orthodoxy, at the Halki seminary. That is very important unto itself. But it is also a historical fact because it is happening for the first time. The only similar recorded fact in history was in 1933 when Eleftherios Venizelos, as a former Prime Minister, visited the Theological School of Halki in the context of a private visit. The fact that from 1933 until now we did not have a similar and equivalent visit to the Halki seminary, makes the impending visit historic and very important, “he said.
The visit to Hagia Sophia affects everyone.
After being asked to comment on the information that the Greek Prime Minister may also visit Hagia Sophia, Abbot of Halki said: “It really impresses us and we are glad that the Prime Minister shows such sensitivities for important monuments of Hellenism and Orthodoxy, and Christianity in general, such as Hagia Sophia.”
He stressed: “Hagia Sophia is a monument that everyone finds moving, whether they are Greeks, foreigners, Orthodox or non-Orthodox. It is a monument. It is a unique symbol that affects everyone. We believe that it is very important, and we are very pleased that the prime minister will visit Hagia Sophia to pilgrimage.”
Strengthening the Patriarch’s struggle
Questioned on the efforts to reopen the School of Halki, Metropolitan Elpidophoros referred to the efforts of the Ecumenical Patriarch. He said: “You know the struggle that our Patriarch has been facing for so many years to achieve the reopening of the Halki seminary.”
As he stressed, “the fact that the Greek prime minister himself is present at the Halki seminary, I think, strengthens our Patriarch’s struggle to reopen the School. He also supports all the Greek community here in Constantinople, which lives under better conditions under the presidency of Erdoğan, but is still dealing with several problems and needs encouragement, such that of the Greek prime minister.”
Metropolitan Elpidophoros said: “We do not have any update on the reopening. However, we have been informed that our President Erdoğan has repeatedly said that there were no legal impediments to the reopening of the Halki seminary. So, it only remains to ensure the support at a political level in order to create the conditions for reopening.”