Inside the Tsipras Visit: Greece, Turkey and Constantinople

The visit of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to Istanbul and environs on 5 February 2019 is still resonating in the media.It has taken on a life of its own, pointing the way to answers of seemingly intractable problems.
His Eminence Metropolitan Elpidoforos of Proussos (Bursa, Turkey),a Turkish citizen many see as a potential successor to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew or  Archbishop Demitrios of America, recently gave an interview to Ethnos about the Tsipras visit to the Halki Theological School on Heybeliada Island,in the Sea of Marmara near Constantinople:
We are all very happy about Mr.Tsipras' historic visit.We lived truly touching moments with the Greek Prime Minister approaching, worshipping at the Halki Theological School, taking part in the Divine Liturgy that was Presided  by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
All of these things happened on a very important day: the feast day of St..Photios the Great, the founder of our monastery.The Prime Minister was shown around the empty classrooms and the library by the Patriarch himself.Together, they planted a tree in the historic garden of the School,in the presence of the representative of the Turkish President,Mr.Erdogan.All these things create,I believe,a psychological and political climate where we can truly begin to speak about a jump forward, walking towards the direction of the reopening of the School.*
The entire atmosphere of the Theological School and his visit, which began with his​ attending the Divine Liturgy, brought the Prime Minister to a state of spirituality.From the moment he lit his candles, you had the feeling that his face shone.*

I believe that we are very close to the phase where Greece and Turkey will be able to surpass these difficulties and tensions.All the prerequisites for this to happen exist.*
I believe that all these "skirmishes" that are pointed out today are precisely the pain of the figuritive childbirth of a peaceful and friendly coexistence between the two nations, which is the prerequisite, the oxygen which the Halki Theological School will breathe and will re-open.I am optimistic.*
Mr.Tsipras planted a tree with the Ecumenical Patriarch and Ibrahim Kalin, President Erdogan's spokesman and National Security Advisor.
Mr.Tsipras said:
The reopening of the School will not be a point or a message of discord or dispute, or differentiation or division; but it will be a message of friendship, mutual understanding and brotherhood between our two peoples.*
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said:
This is a nest of science and culture.It is inexplicable that a school that was founded and opened in 1844 during the Ottoman period, was closed down during the Republican period, and has been closed for half a century.
The Orthodox Church and, in general, the contemporary world, are in need of theologians and religious leaders without blinders,fundamentalism or intolerance-ministers of dialogue and love.*

Earlier in the day,Mr.Tsipras visited the landmark cathedral of the Byzantine Empire,Hagia Sophia, but declined to make any remarks for the press.