Moscow Sretenskaya Seminary - the brainchild of an ancient monastery

Before we begin the story of what the Sretensky Seminary is, let's plunge a bit into the ancient history of Russia. And turn our attention to the Moscow Sretensky Orthodox Monastery, which was founded by Prince Vasily I Dmitrievich in 1397 on the Kuchkov field. According to annalistic evidence, it was built in memory of one wonderful event that occurred on August 26, 1395.

History of the Sretensky Monastery

When a powerful conqueror Timur Tamerlane began to ruin the Russian lands and was already approaching Moscow, the inhabitants of the capital were filled with real horror. This invincible commander conquered the lands of Persia, India and Transcaucasia. His Muslim hordes became a threat to the entire Christian world. Many years have passed since the Battle of Kulikovo. The victory of the Russian troops was not great, but it was of great importance for the unity of the Russian lands. And now the center of Orthodoxy was in terrible danger.

Khan went to the borders of the Moscow Principality on the Oka River. Then the Grand Duke Vasily I with the army hurried to meet him at Kolomna. At this time all the Russian people served as prayer services. And the Assumption post was dedicated to zealous universal repentance. Metropolitan of Moscow Kiprian prayed with the people and called to the aid of the great saints of the patron saints of the Russian land - St. Sergius of Radonezh, Metropolitan Peter and Alexius. On the orders of the Grand Duke Vladimir was brought an icon of Vladimir's Mother of God to Moscow. On the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin, she was sent there by the procession. It was headed by Metropolitan Cyprian. He received from the Vladimir clergy a holy icon, which was then solemnly introduced into the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin.

Holy Patroness

At this very moment, when the Vladimir icon was met by the inhabitants on the Kuchkov field, Tamerlane rested in his tent before the attack. After a little dozing, he saw a dream: in the radiant light from the top, the Virgin descended to him with a large army of holy heavenly powers, which menacingly ordered the ruthless commander to leave Russia. Tamerlane awoke in horror and began to try to find out from his subordinates what his dreams mean. When he was explained to him, he immediately left the Russian land. Orthodox Christians particularly took this event. They with tears in their eyes thanked their intercessor - the Mother of God.

And then, two years later, it was decided to establish the Sretensky Monastery in memory of this grand event at the meeting place (or Slavic - "meeting") of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Now every pilgrimage of Russian tsars, patriarchs, princes, metropolitans and simple pilgrims began with prayer in this holy abode.

Sretensky Seminary

Today in the territory of this same Sretensky Monastery and was opened a seminary - a higher educational institution of the ROC. It began to train Orthodox priests. It was discovered, in general, relatively recently - in 1999. The abode of the monastery and the rector of the seminary became all adored and worthy people - vicar of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, bishop of Egorievsky Tikhon (Shevkunov), formerly a novice of the famous Pskov-Pechersky monastery. His spiritual father was John Krestiankin himself . He is the author of the world's most interesting book and the same film about the elders of the monks called "The Unholy Saints."

And at first the Sretenskaya spiritual school was opened, the highest Orthodox school. In one of the buildings adjacent to the monastery, began to take the first lessons. Then, repairs were made in the fraternal corps. In addition, they allocated special monastic facilities for the seminary.

The opening of the seminary

Archimandrite Tikhon Shevkunov stood at the beginning of the resumption of monastic life in the holy abode. He told me that the young people of the monastery needed to be educated. Therefore, over time, it was decided to create a spiritual school in the monastery. Financial possibilities allowed it. For blessing, Shevkunov turned to Father John (Peasant woman). He was very glad to hear such news. And he gave his blessing. However, the main thing was to obtain permission from the then His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II.

On July 17, 2001, the Holy Synod, after hearing the report of the vicar of the monastery of Archimandrite Tikhon and the chairman of the educational institution of Archbishop Evgenii Reshetnikov, Vereisky, gave his consent to the opening of the Sretensky Theological School. The rector of this educational institution was Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov). On December 26, 2002, he was transformed into the Sretensky Theological Seminary, which in 2004 released its first "swallows". In 2010, the school No. 1216 was transferred to the use of the Sretensky Monastery. It was located on its historical territory and was restored in a new way.

Expansion of the educational program

In 2014, the Sretenskaya Seminary received the right to provide education on the levels of theology: higher - bachelor's and master's degrees. Since 2011, there is training on the Bologna system. To date, the Sretensky Theological Seminary has 150 students. The training period lasts 4 years. The life of seminarians is closely connected with monastic life. They attend the Midnight Lords, read the Psalter, confess each week to a spiritual guide and receive the Holy Communion.

In the Sretensky Seminary there is a library with more than 40,000 copies of books, some of them date back to the 16th-19th centuries. There is also a small archaeological museum, which includes various ancient finds from the Holy Land, which brought the teachers. Sretensky Seminary constantly conducts electives on Hebrew and Greek languages. There is also a unique chorus consisting of 30 students, led by A. V. Amerkhanov. Graduates of the institution today carry their ministry in the most diverse dioceses of the ROC.

Orthodox enlightenment courses. Sretensky Seminary

And now you can go to another important case, which the seminary is engaged in, the Orthodoxy education courses for ordinary laymen, who want to study more deeply what lies at the heart of the curriculum of the higher spiritual school of the ROC in the main disciplines: theology and history.

This is how Sretensky Seminary succeeds in all its enlightenment directions. Courses have also become an integral part of it. However, it is understandable that not everyone can visit them. But this is not a problem either. After all, on special sites of the seminary you can see wonderful and very interesting video lectures, where teachers with different degrees and titles read their lessons very vividly and fascinatingly.