|
 EmiratesGreeks
In an interview with Turkish Milliyet daily's journalist Asli Aydintasbas that appeared on 24 December 2009, Ecumencial Patriarch Bartholomew emphasized once again the seriousness of the situation of the Greek Orthodox community in Turkey.
"We cannot breathe, the Patriarchate is dying," His All Holiness said, adding "what will we do, if we cannot raise men of the cloth? Our metropolitan bishops in Europe are over 70 years old. The ones here are 75 years old. Now, who will I nominate to this post,”.
The Patriarch said they were open to any formula to open Halki Seminary which was closed since 1971. “Whether it will have the status of a school, university or anything else, we want to raise men of the cloth and the state should give this opportunity to us," he commented, pointing up that Halki Seminary should open according to the Lausanne Treaty of 1923.
“Minorities can open schools for giving religious education by covering the costs themselves, says the Lausanne Treaty. We had one and it is closed down, we don’t want [an additional] right, we want what Lausanne had given us,” he explained.
According to His All Holiness the Turkish government was in favor of opening the Halki seminary but the "deep state" does not allow it.
The Patriarch complained that despite official freedom of worship in Turkey, his community has shrinked because Greeks were forced to leave the country, especially after the persecutions of September 1955 and the events of 1964, with the result that only 3.000 Greeks remain in Turkey these days.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's interview with CBS channel
|
Greek News
