11.05.2026 08:41
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said in a statement in Athens that the Halki Seminary will reopen in September. The school, which closed in 1971, is set to resume operations after 55 years, drawing attention. Bartholomew noted that renovation work is ongoing and described the opening as "magnificent." Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the development a "historic decision."
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew announced that the Halki Seminary, which closed in 1971, will reopen after 55 years. Speaking in Athens during an official visit, Bartholomew stated that the school will resume operations in September.
“WE WILL CELEBRATE THE OPENING IN SEPTEMBER”
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 35th anniversary of his election to the Patriarchal throne, Bartholomew noted that the countdown to the opening has begun. Stating that extensive renovation work in the school complex will be completed in the coming months, Bartholomew said, “We will celebrate the opening in September.”
EMPHASIS ON ISTANBUL
In his speech, Bartholomew also placed special emphasis on Istanbul, describing the city as a “meeting point of civilizations.” “I invite everyone to Istanbul and the Phanar to experience this spiritual atmosphere,” said the Patriarch, delivering positive messages about religious freedoms and the opportunities available to the Greek community in Turkey.
SUPPORT MESSAGE FROM MITSOTAKIS
The issue of the Halki Seminary also came up during Bartholomew’s meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Mitsotakis stated, “The positive news you have conveyed to us regarding the reopening of the Halki Seminary is extremely important. I know this is a historic decision you have long desired.”
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Halki Seminary on Heybeliada was founded in 1844 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Its original name was the Higher Orthodox Theology School, and its purpose was to train clergy.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew also graduated from this school. The institution, which continued its activities during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, became one of the most important educational centers of the Greek community in Istanbul.
The school was closed in 1971 after the Constitutional Court annulled articles of the 1965 Private Educational Institutions Law that allowed private higher education, citing the provision that “higher education can only be provided by the state.”