Tsipras visits Orthodox Halki seminary

Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday visited an Istanbul seminary shut down in 1971, becoming the first serving Greek prime minister to do so.

He was greeted upon his arrival by Metropolitan Elpidoforos of Bursa (Proussa in Greek). The Greek premier was accompanied by Education Minister Costas Gavroglou, Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos, Deputy Foreign Minister Markos Bolaris, as well as his wife Betty Peristera Baziana. 

Tsipras and Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios attended a mass at the church of Hagia Triada (Holy Trinity).

The visit has reignited hopes the school will be reopened by Turkey and once again train priests for the Greek Orthodox community.

Perched atop a hill on the Marmara islet with the same name, the Halki Theological Seminary was operated by the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate until a Turkish court ordered the school...