Turkish Imam Calls for Reopening of Halki

Imam Mehmet Gormez, head of the Turkish government's Religious Affairs Directorate, has publicly called on the Turkish government to allow the Halki Theological Seminary to reopen during his visit today to the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople. More here.

Halki Seminary to Reopen

According to US President Barack Obama the Turkish government has committed to reopened the Holy Trinity Theological Seminary on Halki, used by the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church to train clergymen in Turkey until the Seminary's closure in 1971. The Seminary's reopening is a key step towards Turkish membership in the European Union. More here.

Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Visits Halki

As part of his recent visit to Turkey Patriarch Irinej (Gavrilovic) of the Serbian Orthodox Church paid a visit to the campus of the Halki Theological Seminary near Constantinople accompanied by Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople and the closed seminary's rector, Metropolitan Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) of Brusa. More here.

Brusa Metropolitan Elected Abbot of Halki Monastery

At today's meeting of the Holy Synod of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Brusa was elected abbot of the Monastery of the Trinity on Halki. The decision was taken in the hope that the Halki Monastery will soon be able to reopen its theological seminary as the Turkish government has begun significantly easing the restrictions previously placed on Turkey's religious organizations. More (in Greek) here.

Ecumenical Patriarch Meets with US Secretary of State in Constantinople

Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople has met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Phanar as part of Clinton's visit to Istanbul. During their meeting the two discussed issues relating to the life of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church in Turkey, in particular the reopening of the Halki Seminary. More (in Greek) here.

Wikileaks: Constantinople Concerned About Russian Ambitions

A recent Wikileaks release has shed new light on the discussions between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Turkish, US, and Greek governments regarding the reopening of the Halki Seminary, with Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople at one point telling a US senator that, 'If the Ecumenical Patriarchate abandons its traditional headquarters in Istanbul, then the Russian Orthodox Church will fulfill its ambition to take command of the Ecumenical Patriarchate." He went on to say that, 'The Patriarchate needs protection so as not to lose face before Ankara and the ambition of the Russians.' More (in Greek) here.

US Senate Calls for Halki Seminary's Reopening

The United States Senate has passed a resolution calling on the Turkish government to address the challenges faced by Turkey's dwindling Greek-speaking minority, among them the need to reopen the Halki Seminary. More here.

Patriarch Bartholomew Says Greek Policies Should Not Effect Halki Reopening

Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople has reacted to Turkish demands that Greece improve its treatment of its Turkish minority in southwestern Thrace before it will consider reopening the Halki Seminary by saying that both he is Turkish and that the Greek government and its policies should not factor into the reopening of the patriarchal seminary. More here.