Heybeliada Greek Orthodox Seminary Should be Reopened!
The first-ever constructed church through the Republican Period, St. Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church is inaugurated in Istanbul.
I want to thank Erdogan and as a Muslim, I demand to re-open the Heybeliada Greek Orthodox Theological School, or Halki Seminary for the sake of non secular freedom.
Let’s keep in mind its historical past, how and why the seminary was shut down!
Heybeliada or Halki Greek Orthodox Seminary is situated in Heybeliada (Greek, Halki or Chalki), one of many Princes’ Islands within the Sea of Marmara, throughout the Asian aspect of Istanbul.
The seminary was based in 1844 by Patriarch Germanos IV to coach the clergy of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul in addition to of the Greek Orthodox church buildings’ clergymen within the website of the previous Holy Trinity Monastery, which was based by Patriarch Photius I within the 9the century, however the monastery was destroyed in an earthquake in 1894, and current day amenities have been rebuilt by architect Periklis Fotiadis, financed by Pavlos Skilitsis in 1896.
The seminary was closed in 1971 by the army coup’s “technocratic government” underneath a legislation that prohibited operation of privately owned non secular colleges of upper training in Turkiye.
Since 1971 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate can’t have educated its clergymen in Turkiye.
In current a long time, the Turkish authorities has provided the Patriarchate to open seminary underneath a college of theology in Istanbul in compliance with Turkish laws however the Patriarchate refuses to open the Halki Seminary underneath a college of theology in Istanbul.
The seminary is definitely protected by the Lausanne Treaty of 1923. From 1923 to 1971, 48 years it served underneath Ataturk’s Republican legal guidelines, then what has modified within the Lausanne Treaty?
Nothing!
According to the Treaty of Lausanne, re-opening the Halki Seminary is a elementary obligation of Turkiye to our personal residents, the Greeks.
Turkiye is formally a secular state and secular state should deal with the all residents equally no matter their religions as Islamic Ottoman Empire handled them equally and gave them permit to ascertain the seminary in 1844.
In Turkiye, nearly all political events and non – governmental organizations declare that they oppose army coups however in actuality, they all the time help army coups as they help 1971 Military Coup’s Halki Seminary resolution.
Since 1971 neither any Turkish authorities nor so-called NGO keep in mind and defend our Greek residents human and spiritual rights.
Defending the opening of Heybeliada Seminary isn’t doing politics, it’s defending the rights and Constitutional rights of our Rum residents.
The seminary ought to be reopened to offer training in the identical approach it did earlier than 1971.
It isn’t essential to be a Rum to defend the rights of them, it is sufficient to be human.
I’m not a Rum, but when I have been, I might be pleased with my Greekness simply as I’m pleased with my Turkishness.
My aspect is our Greek, the Rum residents’ aspect on this matter and I’ll proceed to help their and different Non-Muslim Turkish residents’ rights!
Heybeliada Seminary
Metin Yilmaz / TR Daily News
Source: www.nationalturk.com