The renovation of the Theological School of Halki, which has been closed for decades, is expected to be completed in September, according to an announcement by Greece’s Ecumenical Patriarchate. However, so far no official permission has been given for the school to reopen.
The school, located in Halki, one of the princedoms of Istanbul, was founded in the mid-19th century.
For many years it was the most important theological educational institution of the Greek Orthodox Church, until it was closed in 1971 due to Turkish legislation banning the operation of private higher religious schools.
Despite the church’s constant appeals to Ankara to reopen it, the issue remains unresolved. The issue was also raised during Patriarch Bartholomew’s meeting with United States President Donald Trump at the White House last September.
According to reports, the US president had pledged to support efforts to break the deadlock, which revived hopes for the reopening of the historic school.
The case is being closely monitored by both the United States and the European Union, which has repeatedly criticised Turkey over religious freedom issues involving non-Muslim minorities.
Since its founding in 1844, the school has produced a number of important ecclesiastical figures, including Patriarch Bartholomew himself.