Seized land returned to Eastern Orthodox seminary in Turkey

January 18, 2013

The Council of Foundations of Turkey's Directorate General for Foundations has returned 470 acres of land to Halki seminary, which graduated nearly 1,000 priests for the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople between 1844 and 1971.

In 1971, the Turkish government ordered the seminary closed in accord with the nation’s 1961 constitution, which states that “only the Turkish Armed Forces and police are allowed to open private colleges.” Despite the return of the property, the seminary remains closed.

 

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Further information:

• 190 hectares of forest given back to Halki Seminary (Today’s Zaman)
• Halki Seminary Gets 470 Acres From Turkey (Greek Reporter)
• Halki seminary (Wikipedia)