Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos Returns From U.S.

ISTANBUL, March 11 (A.A) - Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos said on Monday that he asked U.S. President George W. Bush for help regarding the solution of the problem related to the opening of the Clergy School in Heybeliada, Istanbul.
''This school issue is very important for us, because it is directly connected to the future of our Patriarchate,'' he said who returned to Turkey from the U.S. the same day.
Speaking at Ataturk Airport, Bartholomeos said that he visited Orthodox churches in Washington D.C., Boston and New York for a week. ''The 80th foundation of our churches there was celebrated, this was the main goal of our visit to the U.S. Besides the 65th foundation anniversary of the clergy school there was celebrated.''
Recalling that he was also received by U.S. President George W. Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Bartholomeos said that ''I paid courtesy visits to both Turkish and Greek embassies and I also attended the dinners hosted in my honour.''
''We discussed the issues of interreligious dialogue, fight with terrorism, the situation of our patriarchate in Istanbul, the closed clergy school in Heybeliada with Bush. I also informed him about my visit to Iran,'' Bartholomeos said.
''An institution like our Patriarchate which is in these territories for 1,700 years should have the opportunity to renew its personnel, to educate new clergymen. The school is very important for us. We should have the right to educate its own clergymen just like our muslim people have the right to train its own religious men,'' he said.
''According to the Turkish laws, it is forbidden to open a clergyschool in Heybeliada, how can you ask President Bush for help?'' asked journalists to Bartholomeos, who said that ''if there is the state will, a solution can be found for opening of the school.''
When asked if he was called the ''ecumanical patriarchate'' there, he said ''certainly yes.''