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The Orthodox Church's activities on the island of Halki are traced back to the Byzantine period when the Monastery of the Holy Trinity was founded on the island. A date for the founding of the monastery is not known although the establishment of the [[monastery]] has been associated with [[Photius the Great|Photius I]], [[Patriarch of Constantinople]] (r. 858–861 and 878–886). Subsequently the monastery fell into ruin during the Turkish period.
The school of theology was established on the grounds of the old monastery after Patriarch [[Germanos Germanus IV of Constantinople|Germanos Germanus IV]] visited the island in 1842. Then, with the approval of the Turkish authorities, the operation of Holy Trinity monastery and the school of theology began on [[October 1]], 1844 with a special ceremony that marked the occasion.
An earthquake in June 1894 destroyed all the buildings of the monastery and theological school except for the [[chapel]]. This stopped the operation of the school. The present day facilities were built, with financing by Pavlos Skilitsis Stefanovick, by architect Periklis Fotiadis, and operation of the school and monastery was re-inaugurated in October 1896. Major renovation of the facilities also took place in the 1950s, including the monastery [[church]].
The Patriarchate had hoped that promises from the Turkish government to allow the seminary to reopen would be enacted, this has not come to pass as of yet.
In an internet news article by Interfax [[http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7027]], of [[March 12]], 2010 notes that the "Turkish government plans to resume work of an Orthodox Theological seminary on the Island of Halki."
==External links==
[[Category:Church History]]
[[Category:Seminaries|Halki]]
[[ar:معهد خالكي]]
[[fr:Institut de théologie orthodoxe de Halki]]
[[ro:Seminarul Teologic din Halki (Turcia)]]
