Turkey: Bartholomew I. Sees Hope for Patriarchate: And Reunion

The Eponymous Flower ^ | 10/12/2010 | Tancred

[0beron]

Patriarch Bartholomaios I hopes for the re-opening of the Seminary of Chalki by 2011 -- 15 Diaspora-Metropolitans of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, including Metropolitan Staikos of Austria, have Turkish citizenship.

Constantinople (kath.net/KAP) Bartholomaios I, Greek-Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, sees signs for an improvement of the situation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey. In an interview with "Kathpress" on Monday afternoon in the Phanar in Istanbul he said, it is very certain, that the Seminary in Chalki will be reopened in 2011. Bartholomew referred to the most recent address of the Turkish Vice Prime minister Bülent Arinc, who had explained in a TV-Interview, that Chalki must be re-opened again, because Christians in Turkey had the right, to educate their own Clergy and Theologians.

Chalki was closed in 1971 by the Turkish Authorities in a train of prohibitions against private Schools. While private Universities were in the mean time, however, allowed for a long time to open, the same did not apply to Chalki. The reopening of the Seminary belongs also to the central requirements by the EU of Turkey in connection with discussions for entry to the EU.

[vladimir998]

All. Because. Of. Benedict.

[Kolokotronis]

“All. Because. Of. Benedict.”

NOT. AT. ALL.

[vladimir998]

Actually yes. Nothing had happened for 35 years. Everything changed after Pope Benedict went to Istanbul. The only other force involved is the EU - and that still means Benedict pushing EU reps.

The EP knew what the Pope could bring to the table on this issue: http://www.greekembassy.org/Embassy/Content/en/Article.aspx?office=1&folder=19&article=18986

[Biggirl]

That and John Chapter 17 in which Jesus prayed for ALL Christian believers that THEY WILL BE ONE.

[ArrogantBustard]

I agree wit K.

Any real progress on this matter is due to the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

[Kolokotronis]

“Any real progress on this matter is due to the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”

Yes, but with a little help from some of Their friends, among whom I would include +BXVI! :)

[ArrogantBustard]

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

[annalex]

Turkey is a country to watch these days. This is where several global forces come at great tension:

- secularism and freedom of religion;
- re-islamizaton of Turkey as a matter of religion rights;
- democratic norms insisted upon by EU in an islamic context;
- Turkish immigration into Europe and European cultural identity;
- rise of Turkey as regional economic and military power and decline of Ataturkism.

In all of this, the fate of the Constantinople’s Patriarchate hangs.

Let us pray for the Christians living in the Near East. We may need their prayers one day.

[SunkenCiv]

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