Theological seminaries in Moscow and the Moscow region
There are several educational institutions in the capital where you can receive religious education. According to the admission rules, admission to the theological seminary in Moscow is possible only for men of a certain age (18-35 years old). This also applies to other seminaries in the country.
Moscow Theological Seminary (Sergiev Posad)
It is part of the Moscow Theological Academy. Allows you to receive education at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the following areas:
- Theology.
- Training of ministers and religious personnel.
The academy also operates a postgraduate course.
Kolomna Theological Seminary
One of the leading theological universities in the Russian Federation, its history dates back to 1723. Thanks to the construction of new buildings, it can accommodate a fairly large number of students: up to 150 full-time students and 700 part-time students.
In addition to training in basic specialties, at the seminary you can also receive specialized training in:
- advanced training courses for clergy;
- biblical and theological courses;
- missionary and catechetical courses.
The seminary is also famous for its choir: it is part of the choir of the clergy of the Moscow diocese.
Sretensky Theological Seminary
It was opened relatively recently (in 1999) and is located on the territory of the Sretensky Monastery. One of the first among theological seminaries in Moscow to switch to the Bologna education system. In addition to the main areas of bachelor's degree, there are also master's programs in three specialties:
- Pastoral theology.
- Christian teaching about state and society.
- Church Slavonic language.
Here, special attention is paid to meetings between students and the leadership of the seminary: pastoral conversations are regularly held with the rector and confessors, who tell the seminarians about pastoral life.
Pererva Theological Seminary
The seminary operates:
- Faculty of Theology and Pastoral Studies;
- catechist department.
Teachers and seminarians participate in the scientific life of the Russian Orthodox Church, and are also engaged in social and educational activities.
The leadership of the seminary actively uses information technology: in addition to a convenient and informative website with a 3D virtual tour, the university also has a YouTube channel.
Nikolo-Ugreshskaya Theological Seminary
The seminary, located in Dzerzhinsk, began its work in 1999: until that moment, a theological school operated on the basis of the monastery. Bachelor's (theology and ministerial training) and master's programs are available:
- Theology.
- History of the Russian Church.
Spiritual and educational courses “The Hidden World of Orthodoxy” are also organized, where teachers and students help secular people discover the Holy Scriptures, traditions and laws of spiritual life.
“We are just at the very beginning of the journey”
On April 13, by decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the third Theological Academy appeared in Russia. The seminary grew to the level of an Academy for the first time in the modern history of Russia. The Sretensky Seminary, a higher educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, founded in the Sretensky Monastery in 1999, became the new Theological Academy. About the historical event, new graduate school, plans for the future and combining leadership positions - in an interview with the acting rector of the Sretensky Theological Academy, chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Maxim Kozlov.
Father Maxim, a month and a half ago, the Holy Synod blessed the opening of a graduate school at Sretensky Seminary, and therefore the seminary was transformed into a Theological Academy. The emergence of the third Theological Academy in Russia and the transformation of the seminary into the Academy became a unique event in the history of post-Soviet Russia. How did the idea of opening a graduate school at Sretensky Seminary, now the Academy, come about?
The idea, like all the most important things in Sretensky Theological Academy, grew out of life itself. And this makes me happy, because the order of actions here was not from an administrative decision to the creation of a graduate school, but from the development of an educational institution to the emergence of a higher level of education in it.
Over more than 20 years of its cumulative history, Sretensky Theological Academy has gone from a higher monastic school to a theological school with a cycle corresponding to higher education, then to a seminary with a bachelor's degree, then a master's degree appeared, and state accreditation was received. And it so happened that the majority of graduates always wanted to enter the next educational level. Many of our students went and are going to graduate school, and I think this is natural and correct. Graduating from a central educational institution, having the opportunity to receive a quality education, the graduate naturally wants to get the most out of this stage of his life.
In addition, over the years, a fairly strong and qualified teaching staff has been formed. There are people who have been teaching throughout the existence of the Sretensky Theological School. There is an association of teaching staff, some of whose representatives came from a theological school and combine teaching in other higher theological educational institutions, while others are specialists from a secular higher school who are engaged in church science in a variety of fields.
Finally, the Sretensky Theological Academy is located in the center of Moscow, in one of the best monasteries of our Church, in one of the most visited Moscow monasteries. We had to take advantage of all these hints that the Lord sent us through the circumstances of life. Don’t turn a blind eye to what can be done, because if it can be done, then it must be done.
It is very important that His Holiness the Patriarch set the task of creating in Moscow, in our capital, in the Patriarchal City, a significant educational center of the Russian Orthodox Church. And it seems that the Sretensky Theological Academy can become an important component in this project. His Holiness the Patriarch, when this idea, this possibility was voiced, initially supported and blessed us, without setting a deadline, to prepare to open a graduate school.
The entire past 2020/2021 academic year was immediate preparation. It was necessary to draw up curricula, write corresponding discipline programs, and create a large complex of educational, methodological, educational and regulatory documentation. Among the photographs from the last meeting of the Synod, there is one with the Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Dionysius of the Resurrection, with a thick folder lying next to him. This folder contains an array of documents that Sretensky Theological Seminary submitted for accreditation of graduate school. We, of course, hoped for a positive decision from the Holy Synod: a lot of conscientious work was done.
The adoption of the name “Academy” by our theological school came as a surprise to us. None of us dared to raise the issue of such a status; it was the decision of His Holiness the Patriarch and the members of the Holy Synod, for which we are very grateful. This naming is extremely binding: even if only by name for now, we are placed in a row with the two other central institutions of higher education of our Church on the territory of Russia and in a row with the four Academies that exist in the Russian Church as a whole. This is a great responsibility. At a pace that does not allow for delay or delay, we will begin to form something without which full-fledged graduate school will not develop - the scientific school of the Sretensky Theological Academy. And there are already beginnings here.
The first groundwork was given by the current Metropolitan of Pskov and Porkhov Tikhon - the study of different aspects of practical pastoral service: from the point of view of counseling, liturgics, and pastoral psychology. The question remains: how to study the practical disciplines of pastoral ministry so that they are mastered by students of theological schools. There are still many difficult problems to be solved here, in particular with the teaching of liturgics, which is not yet assimilated in the way we would all like.
The second goal is the study of ancient languages. Perhaps, until today, the emphasis was primarily on the Church Slavonic language and monuments of Slavic writing. There is a philological profile in the master's program and will be in graduate school. No less important in SDA is the study of the history of the Church, especially the ancient and medieval Church, which, of course, presupposes knowledge of ancient Greek and Latin. There is still a lot to be done in this area, but with qualified teaching staff, I think we will also cope with this task.
Sretensky Theological Academy has come a long way before it found its current face. Who do you think played an important role in this process?
If we turn to the origins, then, first of all, this is the founder and first rector, Metropolitan Tikhon - without his formative role nothing would have happened. Just as the face of the present Sretensky Monastery is largely determined by the contribution made by Metropolitan Tikhon, so the theological school was formed thanks to the attractive power of his personality. People wanted to work with a person they trusted, who led them and who did not forget about the material component of life: so that students lived and studied in decent conditions, and teachers received compensation for their work. And we all know that Sretenka is beautiful, that the monastery and the Academy are still beautifully done aesthetically. This is important because church beauty shapes the consciousness of the future shepherd.
Then these are people who have worked and have been working with us for many years. This is Larisa Ivanovna Marsheva - the permanent head of the philological department and, in a good sense, a mother for our students. I see how Larisa Ivanovna treats her diploma students and graduates: not so much like a teacher, but even like a mother. This is one of the pillars of our scholarship, connecting traditionality and orthodoxy of doctrinal views with a high scientific level,” Archpriest Vadim Leonov, Vice-Rector for Scientific and Theological Work. This is the current abbot of the Sretensky Monastery, Hieromonk John (Ludishchev), who for many years was the first vice-rector of the seminary and carried out all the current work at the previous stages. This is the long-term secretary of the Academic Council of the SDA, Archpriest Nikolai Skurat, who carries out unprecedented work with our journals: each of them is a whole volume. Sometimes we, administrators, mourn how long they take to prepare, but, on the other hand, in the future historians will be able to reconstruct the life of the Sretensky Theological Academy over all these years from journals. I would like to mention Dmitry Vladimirovich Dementyev: he first studied here, now he works in the educational department.
A significant contribution was and is being made by professors who at one time, at the invitation of Metropolitan Tikhon, came from the Moscow Theological Academy, being already established church scientists and setting the bar in their lectures and publications. These are Vladimir Mikhailovich Kirillin, Alexey Konstantinovich Svetozarsky, Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin - scientists and professors known throughout the Orthodox Church. One cannot underestimate the contribution of people who came later, but who represent all the specifics of the higher education system at the moment. Priest Stefan Domuschi, Andrei Yurievich Vinogradov, and priest Mikhail Zheltov have already done a lot for the Academy. I value the presence of my student and colleague, priest Anthony Borisov, in the SDA. We received very important consulting assistance this year from Professor Alexei Mstislavovich Pentkovsky.
As for the past year, I would like to mention two more employees who appeared within the walls of the Sretensky Theological Academy along with the current administration. This is the Vice-Rector for Education Quality Control Natalya Valerianovna Leontyeva, a specialist of the highest level, an expert from Rosobrnadzor. She has extensive experience working within the walls of various higher theological educational institutions of our Church. Her organizational, educational, methodological and practical contribution to the preparation of the entire complex of documents is very, very significant. And all the employees of the educational department, the office, and other departments worked to the fullest, preparing the opening of the graduate school. And another great contribution to the preparation was made by Doctor of Cultural Studies Denis Vladimirovich Makarov, Associate Professor of the Moscow Academy of Sciences and employee of the Educational Committee. He will lead our graduate school as its director from the next academic year.
What are the results of the past 2020/2021 academic year at Sretensky Theological Academy?
I think it would be best to start with statistics. 37 people graduated from the Academy’s bachelor’s program, and 26 people graduated from the master’s degree. This is a good indicator. The vast majority of those who reached the last course took the final exam and defended their qualifying bachelor's or master's thesis. This makes me happy. A high percentage of excellent grades, the total number of excellent and good grades is significantly more than half, although there are also C grades - all this is an objective picture, which is very important to us. We know that a significant portion of our graduates want to continue their education, especially bachelors who will seek to continue their studies in a master's program. A considerable part of graduates of the master's program strive for graduate school, and this is also encouraging, because the tendency to move to a higher level of education should naturally arise in a person receiving higher education, including higher spiritual education. In addition, this provides an additional chronological period for the formation of both a person and a clergyman, which will allow one to approach ordination at a more mature age, with accumulated life experience. We are waiting for our graduates to enter the next stages of higher education. We are waiting for graduates of other higher educational institutions. We will be glad to see graduates of secular universities who want to receive an education in our master's program as church historians and philologists. We will welcome masters students who will study topics in history and philology in graduate school. The gates are open to everyone, the admission criteria will be the same: confirm your scientific qualifications and your church worldview. With all my heart I wish success to everyone who has now completed the school year and will strive to continue studying. And to those who enter parish service, I especially want to wish God’s help, God’s mercy, inner fire in order to begin the most important and most responsible period in life. Following our studies, a stage begins when we not so much receive, but rather begin to give - to God, the Church and people.
Say a few words about open graduate school. What will be the directions, what are the immediate tasks?
We were preparing for the opening of a graduate school and were thinking in what directions the work would be carried out. This is a church-historical direction with an emphasis on ancient and general church history, since the history of the Russian Church is largely covered in the graduate school of the Moscow Theological Academy. Andrey Yuryevich Vinogradov is engaged in the historical profile. This is a church-philological profile, and here our task will be to move from exclusively Church Slavonic to other ancient languages and the church’s view of philology in general. In this area, Larisa Ivanovna Marsheva remains the head of the profile. Finally, this is the profile of pastoral theology, Father Stefan Domusci leads this direction. There is an opportunity to rely on the teaching staff of master's programs, there are students who can continue their research. These profiles may be of interest to graduates of other higher education institutions. We want not only our graduates, but also graduates of other master's programs to have the opportunity to study with us. And the above areas are quite widely represented in the education system; you can continue to receive higher scientific qualifications within the walls of the Sretensky Theological Academy.
Our first task is to conduct a full recruitment. We will not chase the number of graduate students. It is important that everyone who enters is already a person with obvious scientific interests and groundwork in church science. In any case, graduate school will not be an opportunity to sit out another three years before being distributed and solve personal problems. You definitely shouldn’t come here with such sentiments.
The second is to conduct the first training cycle. Related to this will be the task of obtaining state accreditation - this is one of the most pressing goals. We have accreditation for bachelor's and master's degrees, and we also plan to obtain accreditation for postgraduate studies, as in the Moscow and St. Petersburg Theological Academies. They, too, did not immediately resolve this issue, did not even immediately raise it, they prepared for quite a long time and accredited graduate school later than bachelor’s and master’s programs.
A slightly later task, but one that naturally arises, is the formation and establishment by the Hierarchy of a candidate council so that dissertations can be defended at the SDA. The composition of the candidate council will need to be formed and approved. Then you need to organize its work. And I think that since we have been transformed into an Academy, then, naturally, it will be necessary to raise the question of including in the second doctoral council in our Church, formed relatively recently with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, on the basis of the Moscow, St. Petersburg and Minsk Theological Academies. the most qualified representatives of the professorial corporation of the Sretensky Theological Academy. Our negotiations with the chairman of the doctoral council, rector of the Minsk Theological Academy, Archimandrite Sergius (Akimov), will take place, and if we reach an understanding, which I hope for, we will respectfully raise this issue with His Holiness the Patriarch.
What are the conditions for admission to graduate school?
Recruitment will be based on the results of entrance tests. Entrance exams will involve specialized tests, which will include tests on general theological competence, on the one hand, and on the other hand, in the direction for which the person is entering. Documents will be accepted from June 3 to September 10, 2021. Entrance tests will be held from September 13 to 20, 2021. Enrollment will be made by September 24, 2021. Those wishing to enroll in graduate school will need to pass an entrance test in the subject “Theology” (portfolio and interview): talk about yourself in an interview format and present an essay or abstract of the work on which the person will work. That is, a project for a future candidate's dissertation. Consent with the supervisor is expected. There will also be a language exam and philosophy required for any postgraduate course.
Are there gender restrictions?
No. Back in 2021, there was a resolution of His Holiness the Patriarch at the request of the previous rector, now Metropolitan of Tver and Kashin Ambrose, which allowed the admission of girls to the magistracy. It concerns philological and church-historical profiles; girls are not accepted for the pastoral profile. All applicants must have a church recommendation and meet the criteria for entrance examinations. Actually, the same practice is established for admission, for example, to the regency faculty of MDA. The same applies to our graduate studies. You need to know in full the necessary theological disciplines.
When is the open day scheduled?
It will be held on June 5 in full-time and remote formats at the Sretensky Theological Academy.
Finally, tell me, being the chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, how do you assess the fact that a third Academy has appeared in the system of theological educational institutions?
My status is such that I need to joke about this myself. If you don’t joke yourself, others will start making jokes. It is clear that combining the position of chairman of the Educational Committee and the rector of one of the higher theological educational institutions, from an administrative point of view, leads to some conflict of responsibilities. Sometimes you have to submit documents to yourself: from the rector to the chairman of the Academic Committee. We try to avoid completely ridiculous situations.
So far, for the Sretensky Theological Academy, it all comes down to the fact that everything is demanded of it more strictly than from others. In other places, one could approach with leniency and understanding, but here everything is checked as strictly as possible - from teachers to students, from documentation and the website to signs on the doors and announcements on stands.
Of course, the logic in the system of higher spiritual education, the trend of its development presupposed the creation in the city of Moscow of a large, high-status, serious educational, scientific and educational center. Because proximity to libraries, archives, and research centers is a natural opportunity to attract the most qualified personnel. All this gives the Sretensky Theological Academy many opportunities, which, in particular, are present to a somewhat lesser extent even in the same Moscow Theological Academy, simply due to the distance from Moscow. But the MDA has another great advantage - more than three hundred years of history, that is, the solidity of the tradition on which it understandably and naturally relies. Good competition between scientific schools and the diversity of scientific schools is a positive factor for the development of both education and science. A classic example: the well-known centuries-old confrontation between geographically close but always independent Oxford and Cambridge only contributed to the development of each of these educational institutions and science on their basis. So here too, I hope that the good coexistence of the Moscow Theological Academy and the Sretensky Theological Academy - still a baby among the Academies - has a chance to bear good fruit in the future. By mutually enriching in an honest academic discussion, with all the differences in approaches, theological schools will be able to bring more benefit to the Orthodox Church.
Father Maxim, concluding our conversation and turning to the analogy that you just cited about the SDA baby, what prospects do you see for the Sretensky Theological Academy?
You know, the stages of development in children are important. When too much is expected of a three or five year old, he may grow up to be intelligent but neurotic or psychopathic. When parents overload him with what he still cannot accommodate. Now the most important thing is to go through the formation stage, begin the educational process, prepare dissertations, and settle the composition of graduate school workers. Students will have to understand the transition from master's status to graduate student status. Outwardly, there will be much more freedom, implying not so much educational as scientific activity, and you need to be able to cope with this freedom and use it correctly. Not just for leisure or for part-time work on the side, but for what the student entered for.
The most important task now is to organize the right way of life and the right attitude at the very beginning. Following this, the fruits of our activities will appear. But let’s not skip over steps: we are now only at the very beginning of the journey.
Theological seminaries in Russia - list 2021
In addition to the universities of the capital, the following educational institutions occupy high positions in the ranking of theological seminaries of the Russian Federation.
St. Petersburg Theological Seminary
One of the leading seminaries in the country has now become part of the St. Petersburg Theological Schools complex. Its history dates back to the 18th century; theological courses at the seminary operated even during the times of the Soviet Union. Today the structure of the university includes:
- bachelor's degree;
- master's degree;
- graduate school;
- regency and icon painting department;
- faculty of foreign students.
The university has its own publishing house, publishes several academic journals, and teachers are actively working on textbooks.
Saratov Theological Seminary
Organized in 1830, today it occupies a leading position in the ranking of theological seminaries in Russia. Provides training in the areas of “theology” and “ministerial training” at the undergraduate level. For those who cannot study full-time, there is a Distance Learning Sector.
Particular attention in the educational process of the university is paid to liturgical practice: students perform singing and sexton obedience in the seminary church, and deliver sermons for parishioners.
Penza Theological Seminary
You can also get an education in the main spiritual directions at the seminary of the Penza Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. In addition to teaching and social work, teachers and seminarians are engaged in scientific activities: the university is the organizer of the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Christianity and Pedagogy”.
In addition, the seminary annually hosts the Sretensky Ball and the St. George Festival: such events attract the attention of the region’s youth to spiritual life.
Yekaterinburg Theological Seminary
One of the leading universities in the list of theological seminaries in Russia is located in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Yekaterinburg. This applies here:
- Pastoral and theological department.
- Regency Department.
- Singing courses.
The seminary also operates a training center for church specialists with evening courses. Both men and women of the Orthodox confession are accepted there.
Orenburg Theological Seminary
At the Orenburg Seminary you can receive not only higher education (bachelor's, master's levels), but also secondary vocational education - the educational program "church choir director".
The seminary has a good material and technical base: a comfortable dormitory, a library of Orthodox literature, multimedia classrooms, computer classes. The university provides seminarians with everything they need for sports and creativity.
In addition to the above list of theological seminaries in Russia, there are also seminaries of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine (Kharkov, Odessa, Sumy), Belarus, Moldova, France and the USA. This makes it possible for residents of other countries to join the values of the Orthodox faith.
Rules for admission to theological seminaries in Russia may vary. In the previous article we talked about how to enter such universities. And if after admission you need help with your studies, contact the student service. Its experts will explain a complex topic or tell you how to properly prepare a study paper.
Theological Seminaries of the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia at the beginning of the 20th century.
Faculties: theological (with a one-year theological school), environmental (has a state license). Higher courses of catechesis and church pedagogy (3 years, evening and correspondence). Department of church singing and folk choir conductors. 1st Vice-Rector – Prof. A.I. Polovinkin. Tel..
Other Orthodox educational institutions
St. Demetrius School of Sisters of Mercy of the Moscow Health Committee. Day and evening free departments in the specialty “Nurse”. Moscow, Leninsky Prospekt, 8, building 5, 1st City Clinical Hospital, hospital church. Tel..
Department of Sisters of Mercy on the basis of medical schools named after Sechenov and the 4th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation under the patronage of the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent. “Nurse” (sister of mercy) – full-time and evening, “Jr. health worker” – evening. Moscow, Bolshaya Ordynka st., 34. Marfo-Mariinskaya Convent of Mercy. Tel., 951-11-39.
In addition, in many dioceses there are various courses for the practical training of church ministers.
For example, at the Moscow Church of the Three Saints in Kulishki there are Moscow Orthodox regency courses (liturgics, charter, history of church music, conducting, voice communication, solfeggio, vocals). Head E.S. Kustovsky. Tel..
For information on issues of spiritual education, you can also contact the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Moscow Patriarchate at the address: 103051, Moscow, st. Petrovka, 28/2. Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery. Tel: 921-53-18.
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On the head. page. Contents of the issue. About St. Stephen. About the editors. Archive. Mail
About the Department for Religious Education and Catechesis of the Kazan Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church
Peace be with you, dear visitors!
As has been customary since ancient times in Rus', when meeting new people it is necessary to introduce yourself. We will not abandon this custom, and we will briefly tell you about ourselves, as well as the reasons that prompted us to create this site.
The site is created and maintained mainly by employees of the diocesan department for religious education of the Kazan diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. The specifics of teaching the fundamentals of religion in our area are somewhat different from many other regions of Russia. If in other dioceses of our Church we can observe certain results of interaction between authorities and representatives of religious organizations, expressed in some approval of church initiatives, allowing representatives of the diocese, at least optionally, to teach the fundamentals of Orthodox culture within the walls of state educational institutions, count on assistance in the formation of church educational structures and in their activities with the younger generation, then we, in the absence of such “greenhouse conditions,” have the opportunity to fully teach those who wish the basics of the Orthodox faith only within the walls of our churches and parish Sunday schools.
There are certain pros and cons to this state of religious education for the laity in our diocese. So, for example, we are spared the “headaches” of urgently searching for and training sufficiently qualified personnel to teach the subject “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” (OPC), which has “suddenly fallen” on many regions. Also, by teaching on church grounds, we can speak directly to everyone who wants to talk about God, without covering up and limiting our words with the so-called. "Orthodox culture". Being independent of the rigid framework of a secular school, we have greater freedom in choosing teaching methods, we can set the place, time, duration of classes, use games, songs, etc. in classes, use a variety of visual aids, workbooks, engage in creative activities, etc. etc. Unlike the secular defense industry, we, teaching within the walls of a church school, expose ourselves and children less to the danger of turning the subject of church truths, the Law of God, into a purely school, academic subject, no different, for example, from history or ethics. It is easier for us to take care of the churching of our listeners while within the walls of a church than in the classrooms of secular schools. Church-parochial schools help students integrate and become accustomed to the church and parish organism. Secular defense-industrial complexes provide only dead knowledge, which, at best, can help a person, entering a temple in the indefinite future, not to feel like an outsider, “restless” here...
So, while working on organizing parochial Sunday schools, we were faced with a lack (primarily quantitative) of Orthodox literature on this topic. Before the revolution, one might say, there were no such schools, and even more so in Soviet times. A similar practice appeared in the Russian church only in emigration in the 20s, among the Greeks - perhaps. a little earlier. Church schools in Russian communities began to appear only in the 80s of the last century.
Theological educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church
4. Indicate to the administration of religious educational institutions the need, when considering the issue of enrolling a student who was previously expelled from any religious educational institution, to take into account the opinion of the religious educational institution in which this student previously studied, and in case of disagreement, contact the Educational Committee for which secures the right of final decision regarding the possibility of further education of such a student in religious educational institutions.
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Theological institutes and seminaries
There are practically no methods or manuals published by the Publishing Department. In some cases, non-Orthodox methods and manuals, for example, Catholic and Protestant, can help out. But the level of many of them leaves much to be desired. Therefore, in order to organize the normal work of Sunday schools in the diocese, we were forced to collect bit by bit the necessary material to help our teachers.
Colliding at missionary conferences, youth conferences, Christmas Readings, Syndesmos meetings with Sunday school workers from other dioceses, discussing common problems with them, exchanging accumulated experience, we came to the need and urgent need for a single common information resource on this issue. In the meantime, this church-wide resource will be created (based on the websites of the synodal departments for education, or youth affairs, the website of the educational committee, or something else), we are starting to present the materials we have accumulated on the pages of this website. First of all, they are published for teachers of the Kazan diocese who do not have the opportunity to receive printed materials from our department. Also, we invite everyone interested in church schools to discuss the presented materials. Please also send your work, share your experience, talk about interesting events at your school, etc.
We do not pretend to know the ultimate truth. The materials are combined: different authors, written at different times, in different conditions, of different spiritual and professional levels. The opinions presented on our page are different, the experience is varied; Naturally, even within the same section, there are different views on solving certain problems. Get to know each other, listen to everyone - stick to it and use only what is closest and most useful to you.
May the God of peace be with us all. Amen.
Head of the Department for Education and Catechesis of the Kazan Diocese, Priest Dmitry Salkov.
Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University
(FLV file. Duration 7 min. Size 56.7 Mb)
Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University is the highest educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church. The university was founded in 1992 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II as a Theological Institute. In the same year, he was given the name of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. In 2004, the university received the accreditation status of a university and was renamed the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University.
