Halki bill submitted to House of Representatives

WASHINGTON

The Heybeliada Halki Seminary has remained closed for more than 40 years. DAILY NEWS photo / Emrah GÜREL

A draft resolution calling on Turkey to facilitate the reopening of the Heybeliada Halki Seminary without condition or further delay has been submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives.

The resolution was referred to the Committee of Foreign Affairs on April 26 on the initiative of Florida Congressman Republican Gus Bilirakis alongside 12 others. The resolution urged the Turkish government to facilitate the reopening of the Halki Seminary without condition or further delay and to address other longstanding concerns relating to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate.

It also welcomed past and future meetings between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Patriarch Bartholomew and the positive gestures by the Turkish government, including allowing the liturgical celebration by the patriarch at the historic Sümela Monastery in Trabzon and the return of the former Greek Orphanage on Büyükada Island to the patriarchate, as well as the return of 190 hectares of forestland to the Greek Orthodox foundation, which is listed as the owner-of-record of the Halki Seminary.