This extraordinary old theological educational institution has an amazing history and talented, wise teachers-mentors who train seminarians…
Meet - the article is dedicated to the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary!
Description
This is a world filled with deep and rich spiritual and cultural content.
The Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary is a higher educational institution that belongs to the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Russia.
The patron of the educational institution is John of Damascus, who lived and served God back in the 7th-8th centuries in the city of Damascus, the capital of Syria…
The head of the seminary is Metropolitan George, Bishop of the Orthodox Church in Russia.
Rector
The birth of the future Metropolitan George (Vasily) took place in the city of Zhlobin (now Belarus).
After graduating from high school, he got a job as a driver. Then he served in the Soviet Army.
And already in 1986 he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary,which determined his future life. After 3 years, he became a monk of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, taking a new name - George.
In 1995, he received a PhD in theology. And from that moment began his teaching activity within the walls of the Moscow Seminary.
In 2012 he was appointed head of the Nizhny Novgorod Metropolis.
Educational process and teaching staff
Currently there are 48 teachers at the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary. Among which:
- 24 - have holy orders;
- 6 professors;
- 8 associate professors;
- 5 Masters of Theological Sciences.
Besides this, there are teachers from the Theological Academy.
Teaching units are departments.
The entire educational process is organized and formed by representatives who have graduated from a theological seminary or academy in Moscow. All educational material - textbooks and manuals for students - is also provided from the capital.
In the process of learning for seminarians, in addition to the main educational process, additional events are organized: church-wide conferences, exchange of experience with regional seminaries, theological seminars and others, which greatly enriches and expands the spiritual, cultural and educational worldview of students.
This educational institution has a higher goal: to qualitatively transfer to seminary students - future clergymen - the purest, deepest, living knowledge and skills, with regard to both church education and lifestyle,way of thinking.
Historical information
Before the political events of 1917, the seminary already had almost several centuries of its life.
According to the spiritual regulations, written under the leadership of Emperor Peter the Great, it was stated that every child of church ministers in Russia should receive a spiritual education.
And the Bishop from Nizhny Novgorod was the very first to give feedback on this call. And thanks to this, three schools were opened in the city in March 1721.
And this year is considered the moment of the birth of the first theological seminary in Russia - an educational institution that trained and teaches outstanding church pastors, scientists and enlightening theologians.
Over time, the educational institution had its own premises, within the walls of which seminarians studied.
From this spiritual abode, many subsequently outstanding figures grew up - hierarchs of the Church, active missionaries, pious pastors, talented scholar-preachers.
Some of them:
- Bishop Sergiy Stragorodsky - master of the St. Petersburg Academy, rector of the academy, great theologian, future Patriarch of Moscow.
- Pyotr Vasilyevich Znamensky, whose literary heritage is still used by seminary students and others.
Seminary life after the revolution
The political events of 1917 greatly influenced the life of the school. It ceased to exist until 1993. Whole 75 years of devastation and silence. However, the same as with other similar establishments in Russia at that time…
And so, in 1993, after the Annunciation Monastery in the city of Nizhny Novgorod was rebuilt, the theological school revived again - almost from the ashes, like a Phoenix bird. It was originally located in a room adjacent to the temple.
After 2 years, the educational institution officially received the status of a seminary, gaining its former glory and power.
In 2006, the reconstruction of the building, which was intended for the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary, was completed. On its third floor, a hostel for seminarians was equipped. She lives here to this day.
Address of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary: Pokhvalinsky congress, 5, Nizhny Novgorod.
Seminary Today
Modern Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary is a higher non-state educational institution. Has a documentary right to educational activities within the framework of the church educational standard.
Something has changed in terms of the program and form of education of the educational institution in recent years.
First, seminary now lasts five years. And secondly, new disciplines have appeared, the number of teaching hours has increased. Thirdly, now the thesis of each seminary graduate is the main condition for obtaining a diploma.
In general, spiritual education has fundamental differences compared towith the highest secular. This applies not only to academic subjects, but also to the organization of the life of seminarians in general. All this is due to the main goal that the spiritual educational institution sets for itself - to provide education and spiritual upbringing to the future clergyman, first of all, to God's servant.
From applicant to seminarian
The process of entering a theological seminary is partly the same as for entering any other university. But there are also individual characteristics.
Submitting all the documents necessary for admission, except for a passport, a certificate of complete secondary education, medical documents, and so on, a seminary entrant also provides a certificate of his baptism in the church, a wedding certificate (provided that he is married, and for the first time !), in addition, a certified recommendation from the parish priest.
At the entrance exams, the applicant's degree of comprehensive preparation is checked, especially in the humanities. This includes knowledge of history, and knowledge of languages (Russian, Church Slavonic), as well as the availability of musical and vocal skills.
But the main and decisive thing when entering the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary is the interview of the applicant with the rector.
There are the following advantages for seminarians of an educational institution: the absence of a contract form of education; at the end, after receiving a diploma, graduates themselves choose in which diocese to continue their spiritual path.
Still, a seminarian student has some differences from a secular student. Andthe brightest thing that catches the eye from his appearance is his tunic.
Seminarians live and study right within the walls of the educational institution. They also receive free meals - four times a day.
The daily routine that students live by is precise and strict, but it helps to cultivate respect for one's duties, honor the duties of others, helps to be in spiritual wakefulness.
It looks like this:
- get up at 7 am;
- from 9 am to 3 pm - training sessions in the seminary;
- from 17 to 20 hours - time for self-preparation;
- Exactly at 23:00 - lights out.
Each seminary course has its own spiritual mentor who supervises the children - these are priests with a certain experience of spiritual life, who also have experience in mentoring, pastoral ministry.
An important part of seminary life is also collective work and individual obedience:
- cleaning;
- duty in the refectory;
- help in the library;
- help in the office;
- watch and more.
All this forces students to learn to interact with each other smoothly and harmoniously, as a single, holistic orchestra.
The quality of education at the seminary in Nizhny Novgorod is quite high, in no way inferior to another state educational institution.
The seminary has full-time, part-time and external studies.
Correspondence department
Nizhny NovgorodThe Theological Seminary provides all types of education in the building at the Pokhvalinsky Congress, 5.
External seminarians have their own mentor and head - Dozhdev Vyacheslav Evgenievich.
Reviews about the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary
The atmosphere in their native educational institution remains so close and warm for its graduates that even decades after graduation, they return here, as if in their father's house! Communicate with the rector and teachers, hold services in the temple.
