Patriarchate: Halki Remains “Frozen” Despite Bartholomew’s Statements
Despite Patriarch Bartholomew’s announcement of the Halki Seminary’s September reopening, Ankara’s silence signals ongoing uncertainty over its official educational revival.
Halki Remains “Frozen” Despite Bartholomew’s Statements.
The Ecumenical Patriarch announced the inauguration of the renovated Theological School in September, yet Ankara has not yet given clear approval for its reopening and the admission of students.
The statement by Patriarch Bartholomew was made recently in Athens during an event held in his honor. As he mentioned, “In the coming months, the profound renovation work on the school’s building complex will be completed, and, God willing, we will celebrate the inauguration next September.”
However, Ankara remains on standby. The Turkish government has avoided commenting on related reports in international media, such as Bloomberg, while Turkish newspapers interpret this silence as a sign that the required permit for reopening the school as an educational institution has not yet been granted.
The renovation of the historic building is progressing, but its use for theological education remains a separate issue. The Halki Theological School closed in 1971 when Turkey placed religious education under state control by law. Its operation ceased definitively in 1985, after the last five students graduated.
This matter has concerned Greek-Turkish and American-Turkish relations for years. The United States and the European Union have repeatedly called for its reopening. According to information, the topic was also discussed in talks between Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while the U.S. ambassador in Ankara, Tom Barrack, referred as early as December to the possibility of the school opening in 2026.
The Halki School holds special significance for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as generations of Orthodox clergy and theologians studied there, including Patriarch Bartholomew himself.
