ATHENS, Greece | Archbishop Elpidophoros of America discussed efforts to reopen the Theological School of Halki with U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle during a meeting in Athens on Thursday, July 16, placing a longstanding issue for the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the agenda of the talks.
The Theological School of Halki is an institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Halki, or Heybeliada, near Istanbul. It trained Orthodox clergy until its closure in 1971, and calls for its reopening concern the Patriarchate’s ability to train clergy in Turkey.
The meeting also covered matters concerning the Greek-American community, the work and international role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the long-standing relationship between Greece and the United States.
Elpidophoros also briefed the U.S.