Patriarch Bartholomew and Greek Prime Minister Meet at Halki Seminary, Say Its Reopening Would..

Archons.com ^ | 2/6/19

[marshmallow]

On Wednesday, February 6, 2019, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met at the Halki Theological School and issued a strong call for the reopening of the School, as His All-Holiness spoke of the “high symbolism” of the presence of the Greek Prime Minister.

“We welcome you with joy and exultation in this historic place and thank you for your participation in this meeting,” said His All-Holiness, who attended the Halki Theological School, as he welcomed Tsipras there. Tsipras became the first serving Greek Prime Minister to visit the seminary. The visit fell on the Feast Day of St. Photios, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who was the founder of the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, where the Halki Theological School is located.

“The times are changing, but the mission of the Church of Christ remains unchanged and unaltered, founded on rock,” His All-Holiness stated. He also made a special reference to the granting of autocephaly to the “crucified” Ukrainian people. He noted the fact that Greece had always supported ending the injustice against the School and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in the hope that the day would not be delayed that the School would again open its gates.

The Ecumenical Patriarch, who has worked for many years for the reopening of the School, expressed the hope that the time would soon come “to experience the reopening of the School,” adding that Orthodoxy for 48 years “has lacked the joyful fruits of this spiritual nursery.…Unfortunately, in the past 48 years, we have been celebrating this day without our professors and without the students.”

For his part, Tsipras expressed his confidence that “the next time I cross this threshold, I will discuss the reopening of the Theological School of Halki with President Erdogan.”

“The reopening.......

[marshmallow]

Full headline: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Greek Prime Minister Meet at Halki Seminary, Say Its Reopening Would Send Message of “Brotherhood”