The Halki Theological School Issue: The Closure of the School Amidst the Cyprus Crisis and Its Repercussions in Greece, 1955-1971
Authors: Yellice Gürhan 
Published: December 2024

The closure of The School in 1971 was a pivotal moment shaped by the broader context of Turkish-Greek relations and the Cyprus Issue. While the existing literature largely focuses on the school’s functioning, Türkiye’s stance during the closure process, and the subsequent international discussions, few studies adopt a comparative perspective that explores Türkiye’s motivations for altering the school’s status alongside Greece’s responses within the internal and external dynamics of the period. This study aims to contribute to filling this gap in the literature and to provide a historical background to the contemporary debates on the reopening of the school. Founded in 1844, The School was established with the primary mission of training clergy within the framework of Patriarchate ideology to reinforce its authority, prestige, and unity amidst rising nationalist movements establishing independent churches. Despite enduring conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and Greece, the school grew to become a cornerstone of Orthodox Christian education. After the Treaty of Lausanne, its status was closely tied to Turkish-Greek relations. During periods of tension, the school and its curriculum were monitored for fears of fostering anti-Turkish sentiment. During periods of good relations between the two countries, the Patriarchate and the school were granted significant freedom.
The unresolved crisis in Turkish-Greek relations caused by the Cyprus Issue was one of the most significant dynamics behind the closure of the school. In 1963, the Cyprus crisis emerged following Cypriot President Makarios’s attempt to revoke the political rights granted to Turkish Cypriots under the 1959 London and Zurich Agreements. This crisis led to political tensions between Türkiye and Greece, two key NATO members. While Greek Cypriots and Greece pursued Enosis (union with Greece), Türkiye’s policy of Taksim (partition) brought the two sides to the brink of war. Although the crisis was temporarily defused by U.S. intervention in 1964, the tension between the two countries could not be entirely resolved. During this period, when the Cyprus Issue became a central topic in the foreign policy agendas of both nations, discussions surrounding the Patriarchate and The School also intensified. Proposals to revoke the privileges of these two institutions were brought to the forefront. However, Turkish governments at the time refrained from taking steps to close The School. At the beginning of 1971, as the Cyprus Issue evolved into a new phase and developments in Türkiye's domestic politics gained momentum, a policy change was implemented. The Nihat Erim Government enacted a law requiring private schools to be placed under state supervision. However, the Patriarchate, unwilling to accept this regulation, decided to cease the school’s operations. Meanwhile, the junta in Greece, which was planning to overthrow Makarios, adopted a policy of downplaying this significant development to avoid creating a bargaining point for Türkiye on the Cyprus Issue. The ongoing debates actually demonstrate the extent to which the issue holds significance for Greece.