Erdogan meets Bartholomaios: Hope for Christians in Syria!
Erdogan meets Bartholomaios: Hope for Christians in Syria!
In Ankara, a decisive meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ecumenical patriarch Bartholomaios recently took place. According to the information portal "Orthodoxtimes", there were central topics on the agenda: The security of Christians in Syria, the reopening of the theological university of Chalki and the upcoming Pope's visit in 2025. Patriarch Bartholomios called for the protection of minorities in Syria, and provided the historical connections between the patriarchy of Constantinople and Antioch in the foreground. Especially the fact that almost half of the Christians in Syria belong to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, illustrates the relevance of this request.
The celebrations for the 1,700th anniversary of the Nicea Council, which took place in Iznik-two hours of car south of Istanbul-were also discussed. Pope Francis plans to travel to the historical site together with Patriarch Bartholomaios, and a diplomatic delegation from Rome now followed the possibility of a visit soon. This would be Francis' second stay in Turkey after 2014, and preparations are already underway, even if an official date has not yet been set.reopening of the theological university of Chalki
A central concern of the patriarch was the reopening of the Chalki Theological University, which has been considered an important educational institution for Orthodox theology since its closure in 1971. Erdogan confirmed his support for this project. The pressure from the United States, the EU and Russia on Turkey to reopen the university has been growing for years. According to reports, the approval of the Turkish Ministry of Education could soon be granted, which could lead to the university can resume students within two years - provided that the currently running restoration work and administrative questions are clarified. The topic was also emphasized in the EU's accession negotiations, especially with regard to religious freedom.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Ankara, Türkei |
| Quellen | |