Smolensk seminary correspondence department. Smolensk and Vyazma diocese

The traditions of spiritual education that have long existed in Smolensk are rooted in antiquity. Already about the 12th century, one can quite definitely speak as the time of the existence of literacy and enlightenment centers here. It is enough to recall the name of the Kiev Metropolitan Clement Smolyatich, whose origin, as you know, is associated with the Smolensk region, where he received his initial education and upbringing. In the second half of the 12th century, Smolensk Prince Roman Rostislavich († 1180), the son and successor of the famous Prince Rostislav Mstislavich Nabozhny, who occupied the Grand Duke of Kiev in the late 1150s, took special care of spiritual enlightenment. Not wanting to have uneducated priests in his principality, Roman Rostislavich created schools where clergy children studied. These schools were taught by Greek and Latin teachers, whom the prince maintained at his own expense. One of these schools, Roman Rostislavich organized at the built by him the Theological Church, which was the court.

The end of the XII - the beginning of the XIII centuries was marked for the Smolensk land by the labors and exploits of its great son - the Monk Abraham, an outstanding preacher, enlightener and teacher. Being one of the most educated people of his time, St. Abraham was engaged in the rewriting of books, the interpretation and clarification of the Holy Scriptures. In addition, he also proved to be a talented icon painter. Having gone through great difficulties and trials in his life, the Monk Abraham, in the rank of archimandrite, became the first rector of the monastery in honor of the Position of the Vestment of the Virgin Mary, then named after him by Abrahamievsky. After the capture of Smolensk in 1611 by the forces of the King of the Commonwealth of the Commonwealth of Sigismund III, the Abraham monastery was taken over by the monks of the Dominican Order, who opened a school under it, which lasted until the liberation of the city in 1654. Later, in 1728, it was in this monastery that the Smolensk Theological Seminary would be founded.

An important role in the formation of spiritual education in the Russian state, including in the Smolensk region, was played by the Moscow Cathedral in 1666, which ordered the priests to teach their children at home.

Later, many more decisions were issued aimed at the development of spiritual education. So in 1708, Emperor Peter I issued a decree that ordered “priests and deacons to study in Greek and Latin schools; and they don’t want to study in those schools, and don’t dedicate them to priests and deacons of father’s places. ”

The Smolensk diocese at that time was ruled by Metropolitan Sylvester III (Kraisky) (1707-1712), who was educated at the Kiev-Mohyla College, and also studied at many educational institutions in Europe, in particular, the Roman Academy, where he attended full courses in philosophy and theology. The most educated archpastor, an adherent of enlightenment, a former rector of the Moscow Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, Sylvester III, like no other, understood and shared the policy of the state and the church hierarchy to increase the educational level of the clergy. In Smolensk, which was under the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1611-1654, and then experienced the forcible imposition of Catholicism and the Union, the need for well-educated Orthodox clergymen was felt especially acute. Here, like nowhere else, enlightened shepherds were needed who could provide a worthy opposition to Western proselytism and boldly respond to its challenges.

Given all these circumstances, it is assumed that the Metropolitan of Smolensk Sylvester III at his bishop's house opened a school for the preparation of the clergy. However, if such a school was created, then at first it "existed with the most elementary education course and with the smallest number of students." The further development of the Smolensk Theological School is associated with the name of the successor of Metropolitan Sylvester III - Metropolitan Dorofei (Korotkevich) (1713-1718). Being also a graduate of the Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Reverend Dorofei put a lot of effort and effort into the proper existence of a theological school in Smolensk, which became his main business at the Smolensk department. Metropolitan Dorotheus transformed this school from the "Elementary School" to the school "with Latin teachings."

The Spiritual Regulations adopted by Emperor Peter I in 1721 became very significant for the development of Russian theological education. This legislative act obliged bishops to open schools at their homes for the education of children of priests and clergy, in which they would be prepared for the priesthood. From this moment in Russia, with many bishops' houses, theological schools began to appear, called the “seminary.” However, as can be seen, in some dioceses, including Smolenskaya, such schools were opened long before the publication of the Spiritual Regulations. Later, on January 31, 1724, the Holy Synod was given a special nominal decree on the establishment of theological seminaries as secondary educational institutions for the training of priests and clergy. School clerical education in Smolensk, begun by Metropolitan Sylvester III (Kraisky) and Dorofei (Korotkevich), was finally formed under the Bishop of Smolensk, Gideon (Vishnevsky) (1728-1761), by creating a seminary here in 1728. His Grace Gideon, who was previously the rector of the Moscow Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, from the very first days of his stay at the Smolensk Department put a lot of effort to spread education among the clergy. In view of the fact that the Spiritual Rules prescribed the establishment of schools at monasteries, His Grace Gideon decides to open a seminary in the Abraham monastery, in which, as already mentioned, a school created by Dominicans existed during the entry of Smolensk into Poland. For this, in 1728, Vladyka Gideon petitioned the emperor, where, together with permission to create a seminary, he also asked for assistance to this project from the state treasury. In the same 1728, in response to the request of Bishop Gideon, a personal decree of Emperor Peter II followed to establish a seminary in Smolensk and to allocate 500 rubles annually for its maintenance. Having received this decree, His Grace Gideon immediately set about implementing his plans. He laid two stone two-story buildings in the Abrahami monastery - a library and a building for teachers, outside the monastery walls he bought a fairly spacious piece of land on which he built three more stone two-story buildings - classrooms and a building for students. Obviously, Bishop Gideon did all this not in 1728 alone, but during the next several years as well.

In addition to the external structure of the Smolensk Seminary, Bishop Gideon put a lot of effort into the proper organization of her inner life. He compiled the rules - “Regulae tum communes, tum particulares collegii Smolencensis”, which became a kind of seminary charter governing its entire routine. These rules, written by Bishop Gideon in Latin, testify to his wide reading and pedagogical experience. They deeply reflected the familiarity of Vladyka Gideon with the internal structure of not only the Kiev-Mohyla and Moscow Slavic-Greek-Latin academies, but also foreign educational institutions, knowledge of the then teaching methodology, teaching aids, classical literature, etc. According to these rules, the rector, who is the head priest of the Abrahamiev monastery, is at the head of the seminary. In addition to him, the prefect, and sometimes also the vice prefect or super-quartermaster, were also the leaders in the seminary. The rules of Bishop Gideon in the Smolensk Seminary for a certain time established the teaching of the following disciplines: theology - four years, philosophy - two years, rhetoric and pititika - one year each and grammar - in the three lower schools - syntaxime, grammar and headlight. At the same time, Greek, Jewish, French and German languages \u200b\u200bwere studied.

Only the children of clergy, gentry, officers and merchants were accepted into the seminary. Soldier and peasant children could not enter the seminary. All students of the seminary, especially higher schools, in and out of classes were required to speak Latin. His Grace Gideon in his regulations gives detailed instructions on what and how should be studied in theology, philosophy, rhetoric, pietics and syntaxime, grammar and headlight schools. It also contains certain guidelines for teachers. For example, teachers of theology and philosophy should have obligatory Sabbath, monthly and third disputes, as well as, at will, at the end of the year, attended by the bishop, rector and other teachers.

In the course of rhetoric and pititika, all attention was almost completely focused on the compilation and delivery of commendable, welcoming and thankful speeches in Latin.

The first leaders and teachers of the Smolensk Theological Seminary were pupils of the Kiev Theological Academy and, mainly, monks. The rector of the Smolensk Seminary, as already mentioned, was simultaneously the rector of the Abrahamiev Monastery and the teacher of theology, and the prefect was the rector of the Trinity Monastery in Smolensk and the teacher of philosophy.

The first surviving information on the number of students in the Smolensk Seminary dates back to 1741. At that time, 515 people studied in it. Subsequently, the number of pupils increased every year. So, in 1747 it reached 667 people.

After the death of His Grace Gideon on February 2, 1761, Bishop Parfeny (Sopkovsky) (1761-1795) was appointed to the Smolensk pulpit. He was an educated man who knew well the life and structure of the then religious educational institutions. At the end of the Kiev Academy, he was a teacher, and then for nine years (1750-1759) - rector of the Novgorod Seminary.

One of the first deeds of Bishop Parfeny upon arrival in the Smolensk diocese was his acquaintance with the condition of local theological schools. First of all, he drew attention to the excessive number of pupils in the lower classes of the seminary and Slavic-Russian schools of the district cities. Among these students, in addition to the capable and diligent, there were also many over-aged, lazy and mediocre students who, with their further stay in schools, could only impede the successful teaching of academic disciplines in the upper classes of the seminary. In this regard, Bishop Parfeny removes incapable and lazy pupils from lower schools, and the seminary itself takes under its direct supervision and guidance.

In 1768, Bishop Parfeny issued a special decree that established obligatory alternate services for students of the three upper classes, introduced the teaching of musical singing and teaching in the upper classes of sacred, church and civil history. In general, Bishop Parthenius significantly expanded the circle of seminary disciplines, deepened the study of historical and mathematical sciences, as well as linguistics. His Grace Parthenius sent some of the best students of the seminary to Moscow University, where they studied at his personal expense.

In 1763, the Greek language class began to function in the Smolensk Seminary, which was attended by pupils at will. In addition, the Polish language was also taught at the seminary.

Seminary students have always been actively involved in the social and cultural life of Smolensk. So, in the XVIII century, at the seminary there was a theater in which plays were staged on the themes of biblical history and moralizing content. In 1779-1783 the future first historian of Smolensk, the author of the famous work “The History of the City of Smolensk” (1803), the heroic participant of the Patriotic War of 1812, priest Nikifor Adrianovich Murzakevich, studied at the Smolensk Seminary. In 1795, the Smolensk diocese was headed by Bishop Dimitri (Ustimovich) (1795-1805). Prior to his appointment to Smolensk, he was bishop of Pereyaslavsky, co-adjunct of the Kiev Metropolis, and even earlier - rector of the Kiev Theological Academy. Arriving at the Smolensk pulpit, His Grace Demetrius immediately entered the course of diocesan affairs, including seminary. The efforts of Bishop Demetrius, who had extensive experience as a teacher and the head of a theological school, improved the learning process in Smolensk Seminary and introduced new disciplines and study guides. In addition to the pre-existing classes, from October 19, 1802, a medical class began to operate in the Smolensk Seminary, and from 1804, a Jewish language class.

By this time, the seminary had a good library, consisting of 2157 volumes. As of 1802, 685 pupils were studying at the Smolensk Theological Seminary. In 1798, by order of Bishop Demetrius, an administrative superintendent was established at the seminary to better monitor students in the seminary.

After Bishop Demetrius, Bishop Seraphim (Glagolevsky) (1805-1812) was determined to be the Smolensk Chair, who later became Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Novgorod. Before appointment to Smolensk, in 1798-1799. Seraphim (Glagolevsky) in the rank of archimandrite was the rector of the Moscow Theological Academy.

Under Bishop Seraphim, teaching at the Smolensk Theological Seminary was conducted according to the methodology of the Moscow Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, as was established in the reign of Bishop Dimitri (Ustimovich). Among other disciplines, the teaching of church history, the teaching of the posts of the parish priest, that is, something like pastoral theology, and the study of the Pilot book were introduced in the theological class during this period. On Sundays, seminarians interpreted the apostolic epistles according to the hermeneutics. Three times a year, disputes were held at the seminary. According to the decree of the Holy Synod of August 24, 1808, in all theological academies and seminaries, including Smolenskaya, the previously introduced teaching of medicine was abolished.

According to the data for 1806, 716 people studied at the Smolensk Seminary. In 1808, the number of students was 578 people.

In the years 1812-1813. The Smolensk diocese was led by Bishop Irenaeus (Falkovsky), who was at one time the rector of the Kiev Theological Academy. The management of the Smolensk diocese by His Grace Irenaeus fell on the most difficult period of the Patriotic War with the French for Russia. Smolensk Theological Seminary, like the whole city, was ruined, the pupils were allowed to go home. Roofs were damaged in the seminar buildings, floors, doors, window frames were broken, furnaces were destroyed, and many more. etc. In the buildings that were outside the walls of the Abraham’s monastery, until the beginning of August 1813, French prisoners were housed. The library was looted, many seminary documents were lost. In connection with all this, in the 1812/1813 academic year, Smolensk Seminary did not carry out its educational activities. In 1813, Bishop Irenaeus, at his own request, was transferred from Smolensk to the coadjutor of the Kiev Metropolis.

In the same 1813, Bishop Joasaph (Sretensky) (1813-1821), the former vicar of the St. Petersburg Metropolitan in Novgorod, was appointed to the Smolensk department. With the arrival of the Diocese of Smolensk, Bishop Joasaph immediately set about resuming the educational process at the seminary. Without waiting for the final restoration of the seminary buildings after the destruction brought by the war, he announced the resumption of classes at the very beginning of September 1813. However, parents were in no hurry to send their children to study in a devastated city. There were no books in the seminary, there was no necessary furniture in the classrooms, so the pupils, who appeared earlier than the others, attending classes, were forced to sit on the floor. Bishop Joasaph tried to solve all these problems as quickly as possible, often he personally came to the seminary and supported the students and students with his kind archpastoral word. The following 1814, his efforts were successful, and the seminary was already carrying out its activities at the proper level.

Theology students wrote dissertations in Latin and Russian, and also delivered their own sermons in the Abraham monastery. The statistics on the number of students in the Smolensk Seminary in the first four years after the Patriotic War of 1812 was as follows: in 1813 - 500 people, in 1814 - 499, in 1815 - 529 and in 1816 - 559.

Among the graduates of the Smolensk seminary of this period was Mikhail Glukharev - in the future archimandrite Makarii, an outstanding scholar-theologian, the famous missionary of Altai, glorified for his enlightening work in the guise of saints.

With Bishop Joasaph, not only the restoration of the Smolensk Seminary after the Patriotic War with the French was connected, but also its transformation in accordance with the reform of theological education of 1814.

During it, the seminaries were distributed among four theological educational districts, each of which was headed by a theological academy. The reorganization of the Smolensk Seminary according to the charter of 1814 occurred in 1817. Then the Smolensk seminary with its subordinate schools entered the educational district of the Kiev Theological Academy. But already in 1819 she was transferred from Kievsky to St. Petersburg district.

According to the new charter, the seminary was led by the rector, who headed the seminary board. In addition to him, the board also included an inspector and an economics seminary. In addition to the internal structure of the seminary, the board was also involved in the selection of teachers.

In accordance with the charter of 1814, in all seminaries, including Smolenskaya, training continued for six years in three departments - higher, middle and lower, two years each. In the lower branch, otherwise called the class of literature or rhetoric, the verbal sciences and general history were studied. In the middle department, or philosophical class, philosophical sciences were taught, as well as mathematics and physics. In the higher department, otherwise called the theological class, theological disciplines and church history were studied. In addition, Greek, German and French were also taught in all departments, and Hebrew in the middle and higher departments.

In the 1820s and 30s, the system of spiritual education in Russia was actively developing. Theological subjects branch out more and more, their number increased with the opening of new departments. The teaching of the main disciplines was conducted in Latin.

In 1834, the Novgorod Vicar, Bishop of Old Russia Timofey (Ketlerov) (1834-1859), a native of Smolensk, a graduate of the Smolensk Seminary, in 1817-1822, was appointed the ruling bishop of the Smolensk diocese. being her inspector. Testing of students' knowledge was carried out through exams, which during the year were two - third or private, held in the second half of December and annual or public, arranged in the first half of June. The annual (public) exam lasted at least two days, the diocesan bishop was always present at it. Students who successfully pass it receive books as a reward.

In 1821, there were 242 students in the Smolensk Seminary, 395 in 1831, and 458. In 1840, there were 11 graduations from 1817 to 1839. In total, 381 people completed the full seminar course during this period. The main asset of the Smolensk Seminary was its fundamental library, founded even under Bishop Gideon (Vishnevsky). During the Patriotic War of 1812, the library suffered serious damage, but then was almost completely re-assembled. Starting in 1817, the seminary library began to grow significantly. By the 1840s, the number of books in it reached already three thousand, of which up to a thousand were theological.

In 1840, the educational part of the seminaries was transformed according to the new rules drawn up by the Holy Synod. According to these rules, seminaries stopped teaching theological, philosophical, and verbal disciplines in Latin. From the course of philosophical sciences only logic and psychology were left. French, German, and Hebrew have become optional. At the same time, the study of some other subjects was introduced.

Since 1845, training in practical geometry was introduced in the seminaries in relation to the needs of agriculture, and in 1850 - the teaching of practical agriculture.

In 1853, by order of the Holy Synod, a Missionary class was opened at the Smolensk Seminary to prepare some of the best students in the higher department to work with Old Believers. In the academic year 1857/1858, the Missionary Department in the seminary was abolished, but instead of it, teaching of the doctrine of schism was introduced for all students in the higher department.

The number of students in the seminary in 1841-1859 was such: in 1841 - 545 people, in 1847 - 524, in 1853 - 602, in 1859 - 571.

Throughout the 19th century, many graduates of Smolensk Seminary entered higher educational institutions - St. Petersburg, Kiev and Moscow Theological Academy, St. Petersburg Medical and Surgical Academy, Moscow and St. Petersburg Universities, Main Pedagogical Institute, St. Petersburg Construction School, Gorygoretsky Agricultural Institute and St. Petersburg Agricultural College.

In 1857, Ivan Kasatkin graduated from Smolensk Seminary, later Archbishop Nikolai, a well-known missionary, the first preacher of Orthodoxy in Japan, the founder of the Japanese Orthodox Church, who was glorified for his proclamation in the face of saints as an equal apostle.

In 1860, the Smolensk department was headed by the famous theologian Bishop Anthony (Amphitheaters) (1860-1866), who had previously been rector of the Kiev Theological Academy, the vicar of the Kiev Metropolis. This scholar, energetic and enterprising archpastor in such a short time managed to transform and improve all aspects of diocesan life.

Bishop Anthony showed particular concern for the seminary entrusted to him. From the very first days of his stay in Smolensk, he made every effort to improve her material support, which was then in very poor condition. Repeated appeals to the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod, the development of his own plans, projects and proposals, and much more allowed Bishop Anthony to put the seminary at the proper level by 1865.

Changes affected the educational part. Bishop Anthony personally monitored the educational process in the seminary, attended classes, attended exams, tried to be closer to the faculty corporation. At his request, the teaching of agriculture, natural history and medicine was excluded from the Smolensk Seminary program, except for vaccination.

In the academic year 1861/1862, with the permission of the Holy Synod, received at the request of His Grace Anthony, an icon-painting class was opened at Smolensk Seminary.

In 1865, Bishop Anthony presented to the Holy Synod his own proposals for organizing the educational process in the seminary. In the same year, the Synod approved these proposals and allowed their "execution in the form of experience."

The number of students in the 1860s was as follows: in 1860 - 571 people, in 1863 - 461, in 1866 - 415.

On November 9, 1866, Bishop Anthony was appointed Archbishop of Kazan and Sviyazhsky. His successor was Bishop John (Sokolov) (1866-1869) - a well-known theologian, canonist and preacher, who had previously been Bishop of Vyborg, rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. Bishop John was very strict about the educational process in Smolensk Seminary. First of all, this was manifested in his orders regarding the compilation of discharge lists of students, their transfer from lower to upper classes.

The consequence of a rather demanding approach to the performance of students was a reduction in their number. If earlier from 500 to 600 students studied at the Smolensk Seminary, then from September 1867 there were only 260 left in it. As a result, the number of students in the seminary turned out to be less than the state level. However, later all fired students were allowed to return to the seminary.

In 1867, the system of theological schools was again reformed. In accordance with the new seminary charter, theological educational districts were liquidated, the administrative power of the academies in relation to seminaries and seminaries in relation to theological schools was abolished. To manage all theological educational institutions, an Education Committee was established under the Holy Synod. The seminary was supervised by the diocesan bishop. Seminary board meetings were divided into pedagogical and administrative.

The new charter repealed the previous division of the seminary into three two-year classes, instead of which six classes were formed with one-year courses of study. The seminaries introduced teaching pedagogy.

In 1861-1867 In the Smolensk seminary studied the future prominent Russian natural scientist, founder of domestic soil science Vasily Dokuchaev.

In 1884, a new seminary charter was adopted, which increased the authority of the diocesan bishop in relation to the seminary. According to this charter, the rector was appointed by the Holy Synod on the proposal of the diocesan bishop.

In 1888, Ivan Vasilievich Popov, a famous theologian, patrologist, professor of the Moscow Theological Academy, who was shot in 1937 on charges of counter-revolutionary activity, graduated from Smolensk Theological Seminary. In 2003, I.V. Popov was glorified in the face of saints as a new martyr. In 1889, a well-known local historian, local historian Ivan Orlovsky, completed his studies at the Smolensk Seminary.

By the early 1870s, the seminary premises no longer met the needs. The need for the construction of a new seminary building became apparent. However, the implementation of this was rather slow. The case progressed after visiting the Smolensk Seminary in 1886, Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod K.P. Pobedonostsev.

In December 1887, the Holy Synod approved the plan and estimate and allocated the necessary amount for the construction of a new seminary building and the repair of two old buildings. With the beginning of 1888, the preparation of materials began, and in the spring the construction itself began. By September 1891, the seminary building was completed. It is located on Spasskaya Street (now Revolutionary Military Council Street) and has survived to this day. Inside the new building, a house seminar church was built in honor of the apostle and evangelist John the Theologian.

In the XIX-early XX centuries. Smolensk Seminary continued to actively participate in the cultural life of Smolensk. The choir of students of the seminary regularly gave concerts in the hall of the Noble Assembly - the best hall of Smolensk of that time.

In 1901, Alexander Romanovich Belyaev, a famous science fiction writer, one of the founders of Soviet science fiction literature, graduated from Smolensk Seminary.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the gradual liquidation of theological seminaries began on the basis of the decision of the People’s Commissariat of Justice of August 25, 1918, according to which the premises of the seminaries were transferred to local councils. By the decree of the Department of Public Education of the Smolensk Provincial Executive Committee, the Smolensk Theological Seminary, like all theological educational institutions of the city of Smolensk, was closed on October 1, 1918. Students who wish to continue their education were invited to enter other educational institutions of the Smolensk province. Later, many teachers and pupils of the seminary were persecuted and repressed. Thus ended the nearly two hundred-year-old existence of the Smolensk Theological Seminary.

An attempt to revive the forcibly interrupted traditions of theological education in Smolensk was the opening of pastoral courses here in June 1943 during the German occupation of 1941-1943. These courses, the purpose of which was the preparation of priests and clergy, were organized thanks to the active work of the Bishop of Smolensk and Bryansk Stefan (Sevbo) (1942-1943) and the diocesan committee for religious and moral education. However, with the liberation of Smolensk in September 1943, pastoral courses ceased to work.

Theological education in Smolensk again became a distant prospect, which was destined to be realized in 1988 by the creation of the Smolensk Theological School, transformed in 1995 into the Smolensk Theological Seminary.

Hieromonk SERAFIM (Amelchenkov),
  candidate of theology,
  teacher of the Smolensk Theological Seminary

LITERATURE

1. Vishnevsky D. The dramatic work of the XVIII century, found in the manuscripts of the Smolensk Theological Seminary // Smolensk diocesan sheets, No. 3 from February 1-15, 1897.

2. Krasnoperov I. Nikifor Adrianovich Murzakevich (Biographical sketch) (1769-1834) // Pre-revolutionary press about the historian of Smolensk Nikifor Murzakevich. Smolensk, 2007.

3. Speransky I. Essay on the history of the Smolensk Theological Seminary and its subordinate schools from the time the seminary was founded until its transformation under the charter of 1867. (1728-1868). Smolensk, 1892.

5. The New Way, No. 46 (168) of 06/13/1943.

6. Proceedings of the Executive Committee of the Soviets of Workers, Peasants and Soldiers' Deputies of the Western Commune, No. 225 of September 24, 1918.

This article is incomplete and is being finalized.

The Smolensk Theological Seminary cooperates with the Center for the Study of Religions at the Russian State University for the Humanities (Moscow) and others.

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In the first half of the 90s, two international scientific and theological conferences were held at the CMDU. In 1992, the first scientific conference in Russia was held on the theme “Hesychasm: origins, history, relevance”, dedicated to the memory of Archpriest John Meyendorf. The conference was attended by theologians, clergy and scholars from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Smolensk.

In 1994, an international conference was held on the topic “Spiritual education in Russia. History and Present ”, which was attended by representatives of famous Russian and foreign theological and secular educational institutions: St. Petersburg and Moscow Theological Academies, St. Vladimir Theological Academy (Crestwood, USA), Kursk and Minsk Theological Seminars, Smolensk universities, Moscow and Kaliningrad Universities, Institute of Oriental Churches (Regensburg, Germany), and other educational institutions.

In the second half of September 1997, the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Theological Education: Traditions and Development" was held in the Smolensk Theological Seminary. It was attended by delegates from theological schools of Russia and abroad and numerous guests: Archbishop Feofan of Berlin and Germany, Rector of Moscow Theological Schools, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Education Committee Bishop Evgeny Vereisky, Rector of the Belgorod Theological Seminary Bishop John, Co-Director of the Institute of Oriental Churches in Regensburg ( ) about. Nicolaus Virvol, Rector of the Theological University in Frankfurt Werner Lezer, professors and teachers of the Oriental Institute in Rome, St. Petersburg and Moscow Theological Schools, Biblical Theological and St. Tikhon Institutes, etc.

On October 12–13, 1998, the third conference was held in Smolensk Theological Seminary, dedicated to topical issues of the development of theological education in Russia, dedicated to the 270th anniversary of the Smolensk Theological Seminary and the 10th anniversary of its revival. The meetings were attended by representatives of the St. Petersburg and Moscow Theological Academies and Seminaries, the St. Petersburg Institute of Theology and Philosophy, the University of Erlangen (Germany), etc. A permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Metropolitan Minsk and Slutsky Filaret.

On August 31 - September 2, 2003, a theological conference was held at the SPDS, dedicated to the twenty-fifth anniversary of the death of Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod Nikodim (Rotov).

In 2003, the Smolensk Theological Seminary solemnly celebrated the 275th anniversary of the foundation and the 15th anniversary of the resumption of its activities. A seminar was held at the seminary to study the history of the seminary and the feat of life of its outstanding graduates, in particular archimandrite Makarii (Glukharev).

On October 15–16, 2005, the International Theological Conference “Ways for the Development of a Russian Theological School in the 21st Century: Problems and Prospects” was held at the Smolensk Theological Seminary. The conference was attended by hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church: Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill (chairman of the Department for External Church Relations), Archbishop Evgeny Vereisky (chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Study Committee), Archbishop Dimitry of Tobolsk and Tyumen (chairman of the Education Commission, rector of the Tobolsk Theological Seminary); representatives of the St. Petersburg and Moscow Theological Academies, St. Tikhon Orthodox Humanitarian University, chairman of the Commission for Relations with Religious Organizations under the Government of Russia, etc.

On April 7–8, 2008, the first scientific and practical inter-university student conference “Faith and Science: from Confrontation to Dialogue” was organized at the Smolensk Theological Seminary, organized by the Smolensk Diocese and the Smolensk Theological Seminary. Within the framework of the conference, reports were presented by students of seminary and Smolensk universities: State and Humanitarian Universities, the Military and Medical Academies, a branch of the Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, etc.

The second inter-university student conference was held on April 7–8, 2009. Students from Smolensk State University, Smolensk State Medical Academy, Smolensk branch of Moscow State University of Railways, Military Academy and Smolensk Theological Seminary took part in it.

On December 22-23, 2009, the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Teaching Biblical Disciplines in Theological Schools within the State Educational Standard" Theology: Problems and Prospects "was held at SPDS.

The international scientific-practical conference “Teaching biblical disciplines in theological schools within the framework of the State educational standard“ Theology: Problems and Prospects ”was due, on the one hand, to the tasks set by the Holy Patriarch at the rector’s meeting on November 13, 2009, related to the transition seminaries at the Gosstandart "Theology"; on the other hand, by examining the problems of teaching biblical disciplines in theological schools and equipping the educational process with modern teaching and methodological complexes.

The conference was attended by representatives of theological and secular theological educational institutions: Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary, Minsk Theological Academy and Seminary, Warsaw Theological Academy, Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University, Institute of Theology of BSU, Belgorod Theological Seminary, Sretensky Theological Seminary, Saratov Theological Seminary, Yekaterinburg Theological Seminary, Kolomensk Theological Seminary, Kaluga Theological seminaries, Voronezh Theological Seminary, Ivanovo-Ascension Theological Seminary, St. Vladimir Theophan Theological Seminary.

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Smolensk Theological Seminary, higher professional educational institution of the Smolensk diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church

It is assumed that the school for the preparation of the clergy was created at the bishop’s house by Metropolitan Smelvest III of Smolensk III (Kraisky) at the beginning of the 18th century. However, even if such a school was created, at first it "existed with the most elementary course of education and with the smallest number of students." The next Smolensk Bishop, Metropolitan Dorofei (Korotkevich), put a lot of effort into the proper existence of a theological school in Smolensk and transformed it from an "elementary school" to a school "with Latin teachings." Finally, the spiritual school education in Smolensk was finally formed under Bishop Gideon (Vishnevsky) with the creation of a seminary in the year in the Smolensk Avraamievsky monastery.

In 1728, Vladyka Gideon petitioned the emperor Peter II Alekseevich, in response to which the emperor’s personal decree on the establishment of a seminary in Smolensk and on the annual allocation of 500 rubles for its maintenance followed. The exact opening date of the seminary is March 15, 1728. Vladyka Gideon immediately laid two stone two-story buildings in the Abrahami monastery - a library and a building for teachers, and outside the monastery walls he bought a fairly spacious piece of land on which he built three more stone two-story buildings - classrooms and a building for students. His Grace Gideon also drafted seminary rules - "Regulae tum communes, tum particulares collegii Smolencensis". According to these rules, the rector, who is the abbot of the Abrahamiev monastery, was at the head of the seminary; besides him, the prefect, and sometimes also the vice-prefect or super-quartermaster, were also the leaders in the seminary. The rules of Bishop Gideon over a period of time established the teaching of the following disciplines: theology - four years, philosophy - two years, rhetoric and pyitics - one year each and grammar - in the three lower schools - syntaxime, grammar and spotlight; studied more Greek, Jewish, French and German. Only the children of clergy, gentry, officers and merchants were accepted into the seminary. All seminary students were required to speak Latin. The first leaders and teachers of the Smolensk Theological Seminary were pupils of the Kiev Theological Academy and, mainly, monks. The rector was the rector of the Abraham monastery and the teacher of theology, and the prefect was the rector of the Smolensk Trinity Monastery and the teacher of philosophy.

The entry into the Smolensk department of the new Bishop - Bishop Parfeny (Sopkovsky) in the year - was marked by the transition of the seminary under the direct supervision and leadership of the bishop. A year later, an optional Greek language class began to function in the seminary; Polish language was also taught. In the year, by the decree of Bishop Parfeny, obligatory consecutive services were established for students of the three upper classes, teaching of musical singing and teaching in the upper classes of sacred, church and civil history were introduced. In general, Bishop Parfeny significantly expanded the range of seminary disciplines, deepened the study of historical and mathematical sciences, as well as linguistics. Vladyka sent some of the best students of the seminary to Moscow University, where they studied at his personal expense. In the 18th century, there was a theater at the seminary, in which plays were staged on the themes of biblical history and moralizing content. At the turn of the century, under Bishop Demetrius (Ustimovich), teaching began according to the methodology of the Moscow Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy. On October 19, the medical class began to operate in the seminary, and from the year the Jewish language class began. In the subsequent period of the bishopric of Seraphim (Glagolevsky), the teaching of church history, teaching about the posts of the parish priest (akin to pastoral theology), and the study of the Pilot book were introduced in a theological class; on Sundays, seminarians interpreted the apostolic epistles according to the hermeneutics. According to the decree of the Holy Synod of August 24, in all theological academies and seminaries, including Smolenskaya, the previously introduced teaching of medicine was abolished.

In the 1820-30s, the system of spiritual education in Russia was actively developing, in connection with which the number of theological subjects increased. The teaching of the main disciplines was still conducted in Latin. In the year, the educational part of the seminaries was transformed according to the new rules from the Holy Synod: the seminaries stopped teaching theological, philosophical and verbal disciplines in Latin; only logic and psychology were left from the course of philosophical sciences; French, German and Hebrew have become optional. At the same time, the study of some other subjects was introduced - for example, from a year in the seminaries they introduced the training of practical geometry in relation to the needs of agriculture, and in the year - the teaching of practical agriculture. In the year under the synodal order at the Smolensk Seminary, a missionary class was opened to prepare some of the best students in the higher department to work with the Old Believers. In the academic year, the missionary department in the seminary was abolished, but instead of it, the teaching of the doctrine of schism was introduced for all students in the higher department.

Significant changes in the seminary occurred after the appointment of Bishop Anthony (Amfiteatrov) to the Smolensk department in the year. He put a lot of effort to improve the very deplorable material support of the seminary, thanks to which by the year he put the life of the seminary at the appropriate level. Bishop Anthony personally delved into and reformed the educational process: at his request, the teaching of agriculture, natural history and medicine (except for vaccination) was excluded from the program. In return, in the / academic year, with the permission of the Holy Synod, an icon-painting class was opened at the seminary. In 1865, Bishop Anthony submitted to the Synod his own proposals for organizing the educational process in the seminary and received permission for their "execution in the form of experience." Due to the strictness of the successor of Bishop Anthony, Bishop John (Sokolov), the change of the ruling bishop in the year was primarily manifested in a strong reduction in the number of students (subsequently, all students who were fired then were allowed to return to the seminary).

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Smolensk Seminary continued to actively participate in the cultural life of the city. The choir of students of the seminary regularly gave concerts in the hall of the Noble Assembly - the best hall of Smolensk of that time.

On the basis of the decision of the People’s Commissariat of Justice of August 25, according to which the premises of the seminaries were transferred to the local councils, all theological seminaries were liquidated in Russia. By the decree of the Department of Education of the Smolensk Provincial Executive Committee, the Smolensk Theological Seminary, like all theological educational institutions of Smolensk, was closed on October 1, 1918. Students who wish to continue their education were invited to enter other educational institutions of the Smolensk province. Later, many teachers and pupils of the seminary were persecuted and repressed.

An attempt to revive the traditions of theological education in Smolensk was the opening of pastoral courses there in June, during the period of German occupation. The courses, the purpose of which was the preparation of priests and clergy, were organized thanks to the active work of the bishop of Smolensk and Bryansk, Stefan (Sevbo) and the diocesan committee for religious and moral education. However, with the liberation of Smolensk in September 1943, pastoral courses ceased to work.

Theological education in Smolensk could only be revived at the end of the Soviet period with the creation of the Smolensk Theological College on November 30. On May 5, it was transformed into the Smolensk Theological Seminary. At the graduation certificate of the seminary on June 24, for the first time in the history of Russian religious education, graduates received state diplomas with the qualification "Bachelor of Theology". The historic seminary building built in 1891 has survived to the present day.

Statistics

•   - 515 pupils
•   - 667 pupils
• the border of the XVIII -XIX centuries. - in the library of 2157 volumes
•   - 685 pupils
•   - 716 pupils
•   - 578 pupils
•   - 500 pupils
•   - 499 students
•   - 529 pupils
•   - 559 pupils
•   - 242 students
•   - 395 students
•   - since 1817, 11 graduations took place, during which time 381 people graduated from the full seminar course
•   - 458 students
•   - 545 students
•   - 524 students
• 1840s - in the library up to 3 thousand volumes (of which up to a thousand theological)
•   - 602 students
•   - 571 students
•   - 571 students
•   - 461 students
•   - 415 students
• september - 260 students

Rectors

• Pavel (Sabbatovsky) (1809 - 1817)
• Mikhail (Dobrov) (December 13, 1821 - 1823)
• Innocent (Alexandrov) (August 2, 1823 - 1832)
• Polycarpus (Radkevich) (March 19, 1836 - 1843)
• Photius (Shchirevsky) (September 25, 1850 - 1858)
• Pavel (Lebedev) (August 23, 1861 - 1866)
• Nestor (Metaniev) (December 20, 1866 - 1877)

In ancient times, Smolensk has a rich tradition of spiritual Orthodox education. Already in the XII century, at the court of Prince Roman Rostislavich, there was a school for the children of the clergy, at the beginning of the XVIII century - the Orthodox Bishop's School, founded by Metropolitan Sylvester. In the XVIII century, under Bishop Gideon (Vishnevsky), a theological seminary was established under the personal decree of Emperor Peter II on the establishment of a diocesan school in Smolensk (March 15, 1728). Over 190 years of existence, graduates of the Smolensk Seminary were prominent figures of the Russian Orthodox Church, culture, science and art. Among them - a well-known missionary, one of the first Bible translators into Russian, Archimandrite Makarii (Glukharev), founder of the Japanese Orthodox Church, Archbishop Nikolai (Kasatkin), who was considered a saint in 1970. We can also name such names: soil scientist, professor V.V. Dokuchaev, science fiction writer A.R. Belyaev, local historian I.N.Orlovsky. In 1918, the theological seminary, like other spiritual institutions of Smolensk, was closed.

In 1989, by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, an inter-diocesan Theological School was opened in Smolensk, which included pastoral and regent branches.
  In 1992, the school was visited by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia who was on an archpastoral visit in Smolensk.
  In 1995, according to the decision of the Holy Synod, the Smolensk Inter-Diocesan School was transformed into a Theological Seminary.
  In 1998, the regency department of the seminary with the blessing of the ruling diocese of Smolensk-Kaliningrad, Metropolitan Cyril and the decision of the Holy Synod, was transformed into an inter-diocesan Orthodox Theological School. The nun John (Kadurova) was appointed the first rector of the ball school.

  The center for the training of church specialists is an institution of secondary vocational religious education. The training center has a state license. The main objectives of the educational activities of the TSPCC are:

Training, retraining and advanced training of clergy, as well as other employees of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Local Orthodox Churches;

Satisfying the needs of the individual in spiritual, intellectual and moral development through secondary vocational religious education. The main goals of the religious activities of the Training Center are to practice and spread the Orthodox faith.

The center for the training of church specialists has three departments: regency, icon-painting, arts and crafts, and a department of nurses.

The regency department prepares the leaders of church choirs for the Russian Orthodox Church. The term of study is 4 years. Students study musical, church-theological, historical, philosophical and humanitarian disciplines. The Training Center has gained experience combining the traditions of secular and spiritual music education. Regent students practice regularly at St. John the Baptist Church. The Choir of the Center for Church and Church Preservation participates in bishop services, in city concerts, public and cultural events of the city.

The icon-painting department prepares icon-painters. The term of study is 4 years. In addition to the theological course, students master academic drawing, painting, the history of icon painting, the history of art, iconography, the basics of restoration of icons, icon painting. In the fourth year, museum practice is held, which takes place in the Russian Antiquity art gallery named after MK Tenisheva. The best works of icon-painting students were exhibited at various exhibitions, the last of which was “Light to the World” at the Culture Center of Smolensk.

The Department of Sisters of Mercy prepares a wide profile of nurses: for hospices, hospitals, and various hospitals. Subsequently, graduates help seriously ill, alleviating their mental and bodily suffering. Education at the department is built on the principle of combining traditional theological and medical education. At the end, students receive two degrees: medical and theological, and have two diplomas.

Graduates of the Church Specialists Training Center can continue their studies at higher educational institutions, work in the educational system, and in the field of social and church services.

At the head of the educational activities of the Training Center is the pedagogical council chaired by the rector.

In 2007, Polyanskaya Elena Vasilievna was appointed rector of SMPDU. She graduated from the Moscow State Institute of Culture, the Smolensk Orthodox Theological School (theological and pedagogical department). E.V. Polyanskaya is a teacher of the highest category, has her own methodological programs, and is also a teacher at the Smolensk Regional Institute for Advanced Teachers. Vice-rector for educational work is Makovtsova Olga Mikhailovna. Among the teachers of the Center for Contemporary Arts there are candidates of pedagogical and philosophical sciences, candidates and doctors of theology, graduates of theological seminaries and academies, members of the Union of Artists of Russia, a member of the Union of Local Lore Scientists of Russia, associate professors.

  The center of spiritual life and the main means of moral education of students is traditionally the Church of the Training Center - the Church of St. John the Baptist, where services are held three times a week. For students to conduct liturgical practice, two liturgical groups of students were compiled. The rector of the church is Hieromonk Father Deonisy (Novikov), doctor of theology, historian, teacher of the Smolensk Theological Seminary.

  The school annually participates in theological, historical conferences. The school is working on the spiritual and moral education of youth and children, as well as educational activities.

In 2006, at the icon-painting department of the school with the blessing of Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, the Smolensk Orthodox Children's Art Studio was opened, the teachers of which are graduates of the art and graphic department of the SmolSU.