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Halki Theological School Renovations Expected to Finish in January
The restoration project includes new student accommodations and upgraded facilities, but reopening still depends on approval from Turkish authorities.
HEYBELIADA, TURKEY — Renovation work at the Halki Theological School is expected to be completed in January 2027, according to Bp. Kassianos of Arabissos, abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery.
Bp. Kassianos credited Abp. Elpidophoros of America with developing the initial renovation plans and shipowner Athanasios Martinos with financing the project. “Archbishop Elpidophoros had already drawn up plans for the renovation of the Halki Theological School when he was still Metropolitan of Bursa,” Bp. Kassianos said.
The project, funded by the Athanasios and Marina Martinos Foundation, includes a new auditorium, conference hall, and accommodations for students and visiting professors. The historic 1896 building is also receiving upgrades to its safety, accessibility, and digital infrastructure. Its renovated library is expected to house approximately 85,000 books.
The school’s completion will not automatically allow it to reopen. Permission from Turkish authorities is still required.
Founded in 1844 by Ecumenical Patriarch Germanos IV, the school has been closed since 1971, when a Turkish Constitutional Court ruling brought private higher education institutions under state control. Its reopening has remained a longstanding priority for the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
In 2024, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instructed Education Minister Yusuf Tekin to examine the possibility of reopening the school.
Previously, the UOJ reported Abp. Elpidophoros had met with U.S Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor to discuss religious freedom and the seminary.
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