Erdogan orders talks to reopen Halki seminary, issue raised by Trump

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has directed officials to recommence discussions regarding the reopening of the Halki seminary, a theological school for the Eastern Orthodox Church that has been closed since 1971. This development follows a previous discussion on the matter between Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump, who is expected to visit Turkey next month.

The Halki seminary, established in 1844, was once the primary theological institution for the Ecumenical Patriarchate and trained numerous clergy, including the current Patriarch Bartholomew. Its closure in 1971 stemmed from a Constitutional Court ruling requiring private higher education institutions to be affiliated with state universities, a condition the Patriarchate did not accept.

Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, whose diocese includes Istanbul, noted that the issue has progressed to a "new phase" after Erdogan's instruction to Turkey's higher education authority to continue discussions with the Patriarchate's committee. While no timeline has been set for the seminary's reopening, Metropolitan Emmanuel expressed optimism that institutional work has commenced. He also highlighted that both renovation of the building complex and the establishment of a legal and educational framework for its operation are necessary steps.

Greece, the United States, and the European Union have historically pressured Turkey to reopen the theological school, located on Heybeliada island near Istanbul.