A wave of optimism is building as Pope Leo XIV prepares for his first official trip abroad, a significant visit to Turkey that could herald the reopening of a historic Greek Orthodox seminary closed for over five decades.
A Symbol of Faith and Freedom
The Halki Theological School, located on Heybeliada Island near Istanbul, has been shut since 1971. This institution, founded in 1844, once trained generations of clergy, including the current spiritual leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Its closure under laws restricting private higher education has made it a powerful symbol in the struggle for religious freedoms in Turkey.
Momentum for change appears to be growing. After a meeting at the White House in September, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told US President Donald Trump that Turkey would "do our part" regarding the seminary's reopening. A committee with representatives from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Turkish government has now begun discussions.
A Test for Religious Minorities
The fate of Halki is widely seen as a critical test for the treatment of religious minorities in predominantly Muslim Turkey. The country's Christian population is estimated at between 200,000 and 370,000 out of a total population of nearly 86 million.
Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, expressed strong optimism. "Keeping this school closed after more than 50 years is a political and diplomatic anachronism," he stated, noting that Turkey now has many private universities. He believes the school could welcome students as soon as the next academic year.
While the Turkish government has enacted some reforms for religious groups, challenges remain. Other Christian groups lack formal recognition, and a 2024 attack on a Catholic church in Istanbul, claimed by the Islamic State group, highlights ongoing tensions.
A Pilgrimage and a Path Forward
Pope Leo's visit, starting on November 27, will see him meet President Erdogan and join Patriarch Bartholomew in commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. He will then travel to Lebanon.
At the seminary itself, renovation work is visibly underway, with scaffolding surrounding the building. One floor used as clergy quarters and two classrooms are already completed, standing ready for a new generation of students.
For visitors like Agnes Kaltsogianni from Greece, the reopening represents more than just religious freedom. "This can be a starting point for major cultural development and affinity," said the 48-year-old, hoping it improves ties between the two nations.
Archbishop Elpidophoros, who served as abbot of the Halki monastery, captured the broader significance: "The entire world needs a school with this spirit," he said, describing Halki as a place open to dialogue and coexistence, rejecting prejudice and hate speech.
