Last month on the CBS television program "60 Minutes," Patriarch Bartholomew said he felt "crucified" by living in Turkey. Obviously, he used the term "crucified" to compare his suffering to Christ's suffering on the Cross; however, the Patriarch's "suffering" in Turkey really cannot be compared to Christ being nailed to a Cross. The fact is that Christ suffered more on the Cross -- and for no justifiable reason -- than any human being has ever suffered.
Using such a harsh term as "crucified" on "60 Minutes" has come back to haunt the Patriarch, as it has caused much anger in Turkey. As a "payback" to the Patriarch, the Turkish prime minister said last week that Turkey will not reopen the Orthodox Seminary on its island of Halki -- which Turkey illegally closed in 1971 -- until Greece introduces changes benefiting the Turkish minority in Greece, most of whom live in Thrace, which borders northwestern Turkey.
Consequently, we must not expect the seminary on Halki Island to reopen anytime soon. Turkey -- which is 99 percent Muslim -- probably had no intention whatsoever in reopening this Christian seminary all along, and is now requiring more benefits for Turks living in Greece as a good excuse for this decision.
Although Patriarch Bartholomew said Orthodox clergy in Istanbul are in danger of dying out, I disagree with him. Even if the Orthodox Seminary on Halki Island never reopens, there are numerous Orthodox seminaries in Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, and many other countries that will prepare students to become Orthodox priests. Some of these newly-ordained priests will be assigned to Orthodox Churches in Istanbul, and someday, one of them may very well become a new Patriarch of Constantinople!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment