LAST UPDATE: 09:35
Μetropolitan Elpidophoros of Bursa expressed to ANA-MPA his optimism about the reopening of the Halki seminary soon, saying that it is very realistic, as its non-operation “is a historical anachronism and a source of unreasonable loss of prestige for Turkey.”
The abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Halki and professor of the Department of Pastoral and Social Theology of the Faculty of Theology of the Aristotle University highlighted in his interview the importance of the Halki seminary, for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greeks of Constantinople, and Hellenism as a whole, but also for Greek-Turkish relations.
Referring to the recent visit of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to the Seminary, Metropolitan of Bursa described it as historic “not only because it was the first visit by a Greek Prime Minister,” but also for the fact that it “pulls ahead” to improve Greek-Turkish relations to an extent that it can be allowed to both sides to make the appropriate steps that will smooth the climate between the two countries.
When he was asked whether the reopening of Halki is a personal bet of the Ecumenical Patriarch, who attended the seminary, he noted that when Bartholomew had just been enthroned in 1991, among other things, he included in his statements the need for reopening the seminary. “All other Patriarch’s programmatic statements and programs, which had been announced at that time, and even more goals, have already been achieved. The only goal that has not been achieved, in this sense, is the reopening of the Halki seminary,” he said, underlining that this would personally mean too much for the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Then, the abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Halki referred to the academic studies which the School aspires to provide, but also to the possibility for someone to have access to the rare library material. “E-cataloging has already been completed and we are now in the process of fully digitizing the entire library,” Ellpidophoros said and noted that by finding new donors, access to the material through the Internet will be possible.