For me, this journey began with one road accident. The truth is that it didn’t happen. Miraculously avoiding a head-on collision, I returned home. And she cried bitterly for a long time - years later, an awareness of life, its delusions and losses came. And then the image of Father Seraphim arose in my thoughts, as if he was standing in front of me, and the thought of Diveyevo. It seemed that the soul itself was asking to enter the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery!
How far is it and how to get there – there were more questions than answers. But - only a few days. Before the message about the trip to the monastery of the Orthodox youth club “Seraphim”. I think this was the first miracle on my way... And each of our group of 48 people had many more.
It was difficult for us to leave. One by one, our “fighters” were “knocked out” along the way. We stood at the very border of the region. And they did not move until they began to read the akathist to Seraphim of Sarov. This was the most long-awaited meeting! Long months of waiting, almost 1000 kilometers of distance from Kursk and almost 17 hours of travel.
“My boyfriend and I have been thinking about a wedding for a long time; I wanted to strengthen sincere and pure love, to do as the Lord commands. But many questions never found their answer. And then we decided: we’ll ask the Mother of God, Father Seraphim, and if God is pleased with our marriage, They will definitely send us a sign. And so it happened. A miracle happened! – says Masha Venediktova.
– Before approaching the holy relics of the priest, she bought us a rosary to put on and go to Kanavka. I really liked mine - made of pink beads, childishly cheerful. But suddenly they crumbled in my hands!
I was upset, and Zhenya came up and tied his rosary around my hand. And then I realized that the answer to my question had been received, and Father Seraphim himself connected us. The carefree childhood is gone. And the rosary was reliable, with oak beads. So we walked with them alone throughout the entire Kanavka... The Lord gave a sign. After this miracle there was no doubt left. But happiness loves silence. And then, as God pleases.”
Another miracle for Mary was obedience. And what happened during it. Together with Katya Ryazantseva, they did not have time to take the blessing to go with part of the group to the monastery to help there, and early in the morning they went to Kanavka to receive it from the Mother of God Herself. On the way back we met Mother Silvana, who made adjustments to their plans, saying that they also needed help in the church, and sent them to pray during the Liturgy on the second floor of the Trinity Church, where they worked after the service. That day the girls managed to do everything - and even venerated the revealed holy relics and belongings of the Sarov Wonderworker.
Such grace befell the author of this article. At the first “meeting” with the priest at his relics, it seemed that someone hugged me very warmly, in a fatherly way (only then did I realize that they were waiting for me). And how great was the despair when, while preparing for Communion, she was not allowed... Having humbled herself, she went to the obedience prepared for our group in the Trinity Church. And joy knew no bounds when they suddenly gave me tools and told me to scrape the wax off the floor - after all, this is something I never did in my church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Kursk, which is why I was tormented by remorse for a long time. And when they were diligently carrying out the saving work, they called out to us and asked us to approach the priest’s open shrine.
And that turned out to be not all. On the eve of the day of remembrance of the blessed Matrona of Moscow, the temple was decorated with flowers. By the Providence of God, this was also done by the chicken girls from another pilgrimage group. While cleaning up, I noticed one rose left behind. “She won't be needed. You can keep it as a souvenir from Father Seraphim,” said the countrywoman, taking away the bouquet. Needless to say, I literally flew out of the church on wings... And then, having shared obedience with one of our girls and miraculously confessed in the evening of the same day, I received communion on the feast of Matronushka, my intercessor and helper (the priest allowed).
For each of us, obedience turned out to be long-awaited and healing.
One of the guys, seeing that Kanavka was being repaired, really wanted to help the workers. But he was refused. Then he, very upset, walked along the Holy Kanavka, asking the Mother of God. And the master, noticing the inquisitive young man, asked: “Who wants to help here?” Ultimately, the very next day, eight of our men helped with repairs on Kanavka. No less than our boys and girls went to the monastery to sort out potatoes: eight bins full height. But the work progressed. And where did the strength come from?! The next day, many took communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ - the parting words of our club’s confessor became clear - “if possible, take communion for two days, whoever wants.”
“As soon as I stepped onto the Kanavka, my legs began to burn with fire, I was enveloped in heat - this only happened in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem,” recalls Angelina Lazareva. – For five days after bathing in the spring of Seraphim of Sarov, the aching pain in my chest did not stop. I did a cardiogram - there was no trace left of the good old tachycardia!”
Our group had many, many more such miracles - large and small, obvious and secret... And for many they continue to this day.
Ekaterina Davidova, Orthodox youth club “Seraphim”, Kursk
Newspaper "Blagovest"
Summing up the implementation of the project “Source of Spirituality and Virtue”
On December 19, in the assembly hall of our school there was a wonderful meeting of students and teachers of educational institutions in Kursk, interested in the spiritual origins of their native land and passionate about the same thing - giving people goodness and joy. This was a summing up of the implementation of the project “Source of Spirituality and Virtue”, the purpose of which is to study the ascetic activity of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
We have many creative plans and ideas ahead that we want to implement.
Sunday School
GOALS, TASKS AND TYPES (DIRECTIONS) OF ACTIVITY
The purpose of the Sunday school is to introduce students to the Orthodox faith, the liturgical life of the Church (manifestation, clarification and development of the image of God in students; helping children in the right choice of life path, that is, the path to salvation offered by Christ; raising people with strong convictions, with deep Christian worldview, with a developed and subtle moral sense, people with faith and conscience)
The tasks of Sunday school in relation to students:
a) religious and moral education and upbringing (providing children with the rudiments of knowledge about God, the Orthodox Church and faith; awakening the desire to live with Christ, in His Church; developing beneficial skills of prayer, humility before the will of God).
b) development of the Sunday school student’s desire to participate in the liturgical, social, missionary life of the parish (serving others), comprehensive development of personality and motivation for knowledge and creativity;
d) adaptation to life in modern society in accordance with the norms of Christian morality;
e) formation of a common culture;
f) providing the necessary conditions for personal development, strengthening spiritual and physical health, civic self-determination and creative work.
The objectives of the preschool stage are the Orthodox education and development of children, carried out through involvement in the liturgical life of the Church, playful, creative and developmental activities, as well as through mutual communication.
The tasks of the initial stage are teaching the basics of Orthodox doctrine, Orthodox education, developing children, introducing them to the liturgical life of the Church, acquiring primary skills and initial experience of church life.
The objectives of the main stage are to teach the basics of Orthodox faith, for children to acquire knowledge about the faith, to consciously participate in worship and the Sacraments of the Church, to apply the acquired knowledge in everyday life, to develop the skill of daily prayer at home, and subsequent involvement in social, missionary, and youth activities of the parish (visits to hospitals, publishing a parish newspaper, organizing youth communication clubs, etc.).
INFORMATION ABOUT PARTICIPANTS IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
Father of the Sunday school priest Alexander Oreshin,
Sunday school director Patlan Natalya Vladimirovna +7-918-542-14-68,
List of teachers:
| № | Full name of the teacher, house. address and telephone | Education Secular/Spiritual | Main or additional item | Group |
| 1 | Solovyova Elena Rudolfovna | 1. Diocesan catechetical courses 2. Short-term training at the Moscow State Open Pedagogical University. M.A. Sholokhov in the course “Teaching the subject “Fundamentals of Spiritual Culture” 3. Russian State University, Faculty of History | Teacher: Old Testament Structure of the Orthodox Church Fundamentals of the Law of God Church Slavonic language Fundamentals of Orthodox doctrine | 2nd grade (8-10 years old) |
| 2 | Kabanova Natalya Valerievna | 1.Kamenskoye Higher Pedagogical School. Teacher of fine arts, drawing and home economics. 2. RGPU Art and Graphic Department. Teacher of art and drawing | Teacher: Introduction to the Law of God Fine Arts | Preparatory group (5-7 years) |
| 3 | Germanyuk Lyudmila Anatolevna | 1.RSU, philological and psychological departments. 2. Diocesan catechetical courses | Teacher: The Law of God New Testament Fundamentals of the Law of God Church Slavonic language | |
| 4 | Golovan Tatyana Vladimirovna | Teacher: Arts and crafts (working with people with disabilities) | ||
| 5 | Verzilina Natalia Alexandrovna | 1. General secondary, courses 2. Diocesan catechetical courses | Teacher: Handicrafts | |
| 6 | Alekseeva Svetlana Nikolaevna | Church choir director Church singing teacher | ||
| 7 | Shcherbina Lyubov Vladimirovna | Radio technical school, cutting and sewing courses. Teaching experience - 34 years, Palace of Children and Youth Creativity, applied arts at Higher School - 5 years | Teacher: Applied arts Design and modeling of clothing | |
| 8 | Semyonkina Olga Vladimirovna | 1.Russian State University, Faculty of Sociology and Political Science. 2.RINH, management training program. 3.ANO NII DPI (Moscow). Teacher-defectologist 4.Advanced training courses: Psychological assistance to cancer patients; training of volunteers for the program to help children with cancer; development and promotion of social projects. | Corrective and developmental classes for children with disabilities (HH) | Individual consultation. Group work: 1st group 6-9 years old 2nd group 10-12 years old |
| 9 | Voloshchukova Tatyana Grigorievna | Rostov State Academy of Agricultural Engineering, process engineer | "Game Rhetoric" | Middle and senior groups |
| 10 | Lukyanenko Konstantin Alexandrovich | 1.East Ukrainian National University named after V.I. Dalia, teacher of philosophical and religious disciplines. 2.East Ukrainian National University named after V.I. Dahl, graduate school in religious studies 3. Saratov Research State University, Master of Theology Ped. experience – 12 years. | Deputy director of the school. Teacher: Fundamentals of Orthodox culture Christian ethics Bible and culture | Middle and senior groups |
| 11 | Patlan Natalia Vladimirovna | 1.Kiev Pedagogical Institute, methodologist for educational work, teacher of ethics and psychology of family life. 2. SFU, Faculty of Psychology, psychologist 3. SFU, Institute of Philosophy and Socio-Political Sciences, Department of Religion and Religious Studies, theologian. 4. Diocesan catechetical courses, catechist. 5.MIEK, existential consultant, member of the Board of NOECT, deputy. editor of the magazine “Existential Tradition: Philosophy, Psychology, Psychotherapy”, participant of two International Congresses on copies. therapy. TOTAL PEDAGING EXPERIENCE 14 YEARS 4 MONTHS | Director of Sunday School Group work: All disciplines of the theological cycle. Fundamentals of the Orthodox family. Reading club for children “Spark of God” Film club for teenagers. Parents' club "Orthodox Family" Practical psychology lessons for children "How to love your neighbor" Project "Memory of Future Generations" Individual counseling for children, adolescents and parents. |
Readers' conference
In pursuance of the Presidential Decree of 05/07/2018 “On national goals and strategic objectives of the development of the Russian Federation for the period until 2024”, in order to educate a socially responsible person based on spiritual and moral values, on November 9, the children of our school took part in the reading conference “Reverend Seraphim. Family history." The event took place in the central city library named after. F. Semenov. Among the speakers was our OPK teacher Alexander Nikolaevich Maleev.
Cooperation agreement with Diveyevo secondary school
On June 18 - 22, 2017, the delegation of our school took part in the XXVII International Peace March, which followed the route Kursk - Vladimir - Murom - Diveevo - Sanaksary - Kursk.
The International Peace March is an annual peacekeeping event of the Kursk branch of the Peace Fund. This year the March is dedicated to the 985th anniversary of Kursk, the 50th anniversary of the Golden Ring. The goal of the Peace March is to expand cooperation between representatives of civil society in Russian cities.
Participants of the action visited historical and cultural centers, memorials, museums, Orthodox churches and monasteries, and took part in peacekeeping programs and meetings with the public.
As part of the XXVII International Peace March, an agreement on cooperation and joint activities was concluded between the MBOU “Secondary school with in-depth study of individual subjects No. 32 named after. St. Seraphim of Sarov" and MBOU "Diveyevo Secondary School".
As part of the cooperation, it is planned for the joint participation of school students in research, design and creative activities, the exchange of pedagogical experience, the mutual exchange of groups of students and teachers to form cultural and educational ties in the field of spiritual and moral education of schoolchildren.
More information can be found on the website of State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company Kursk https://gtrkkursk.ru/lenta-novostei/19062017175124_l.html and on the website Orthodox Sarov https://pravsarov.su/content/news/2017/6021/6055.html
