The determination of the Mother Church of Constantinople to continue its struggle for the reopening of the Holy Theological School of Halki, was expressed by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in his speech on Sunday, at the beginning of a two-day international scientific conference held at the , on the occasion of the completion of 50 years since the cessation of the operation of the historical theological school, but also 30 years since the demise of the last Headmaster of the late Metropolitan of Stavroupolis, Mr. Maximos. The title of the Conference is “From the saddest to the saddest: wish and prayer”.
Earlier, His Holiness officiated at the Divine Liturgy held in the chapel of Panagia Kamariotissi, in the Ceremony Hall of the School, in memory of the Holy Fire, Patriarch of Constantinople and founder of the Holy Trinity Monastery of Halki.
In his speech, His Holiness pointed out that in the 127 years of its operation, the Holy Theological School has given to the Great Church and to the Universal Orthodoxy the over nine hundred “Teachers of Orthodox Christian Theology”, who the people of God and the sacred science “.
He then referred to the personality and contribution of the Holy Fire to the Church and the Nation.
The Patriarch, in his speech, pointed out that the mission of the Church in the world is not promoted by an introverted and “closed” theology, which, as he said, avoids, ignores or even rejects the world, in order to save the so-called threatened developments, under the history and the “in the world” character of the Orthodox Church of the faith. “Closed-mindedness and introversion,” he stressed, “produce and promote fundamentalism and the fruitless religiosity of the Christian life.”
Concluding his speech, His Holiness welcomed the organization of the International Scientific Symposium, on the occasion of the festival of the Holy Fire, and praised his organizing committee for choosing its theme, “which highlights the identity of our Theological School, for its future, the “spirit of Halki” together after the many ecological, inter-Christian, inter-religious, peaceful actions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its initiatives in the field of protection of human rights and religious freedom “.
In fact, he especially congratulated the Bishop of Arabissos, Cassianos, Abbot of the Monastery, the Archon of the Greek Orthodox Church, Symeon Paschalidis, professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and director of the Patriarchal Institute of Patriarchal Studies, as well as the participants. .
Afterwards, the Metropolitan of Derkon Apostolos Apostolos, President of the Ephorate of the Holy Monastery, and the Bishop of Arabissos addressed a greeting.
The president of the Ephorate of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity of Halki reminded that last year marked fifty years since the closure of the School.
For his part, the Bishop of Arabissos referred to the current activities of the School.
The Vice President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schoinas, and the President of the Center for Theologians of Halki, Professor Nikolaos Xexakis, also addressed the gathering, while speeches were made by hierarchs, monks, academics and other distinguished scientists. The work of the conference will continue tomorrow.
Patriarchal Trisagio for Patriarch Photios II
Descending from Halki, the Patriarch went to the Holy Monastery of Valoukli and performed Trisagio for the rest of the soul of the predecessor of Photios II, whose tomb is located in the Patriarchal Cemetery, in the precinct of the Monastery, also prayed for the Blessed Metropolitan and for his relative from Imvros, archimandrite Fotios Georgiadis, a graduate of Halki, who served as a priest for a number of years and slept in Romania.
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