Seminary Represented at Anniversary of Moscow Theological Academy

Deacon Vladimir Tsurikov, Assistant Dean of Holy Trinity Seminary, and Rassaphore-monk Serge (Nedelsky), a Seminary instructor, traveled to Moscow in mid-October, 2005, at the invitation of His Eminence, Archbishop Evgenii of Vereia, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary and Chairmen of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church. The purpose of this visit was to represent Holy Trinity Seminary at the celebration of the 320th anniversary of the founding of the Moscow Theological Academy as a further step in developing a professional relationship between Holy Trinity Seminary and the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary.

Deacon Vladimir and Rassaphore-monk Serge arrived at the Trinity-St. Serge Lavra, in which the Academy and Seminary are located, on Friday, October 7, the eve of the feast of St. Serge of Radonezh, patron saint of the monastery. They attended both the Vigil and the Divine Liturgy the following day in the Academy church. On Tuesday, October 11, Frs. Vladimir and Serge met with Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Secretary of the Office of External Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, in order to discuss joint academic efforts between institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and the Moscow Patriarchate.

His Holiness, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, presided at the Divine Liturgy in the Moscow Theological Academy's Church of the Protection of the Theotokos on October 14, the feast-day of the church. Following a festive meal, His Holiness, Patriarch Alexy II, held a private audience with Deacon Vladmir Tsurikov in the company of His Eminence, Archbishop Evgenii, during which His Holiness expressed his approval of the cooperative efforts between the Moscow and Jordanville Seminaries.

The Academy's annual "Akt," this year marking the 320th anniversary of the Moscow Theological Academy, met in the Academy's auditorium in the afternoon of October 14. The festivities began with a greeting by His Eminence, Archbishop Evgenii, and a speech by M. S. Ivanov, Academic Dean of the Academy, on the activities of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary in the past year, followed by a talk by Archpriest Maksim Kozlov entitled "Professors of Theology at the Moscow State University, Alumni of the Moscow Theological Academy." His Holiness, Patriarch Alexy, addressed the audience with a speech concerning the importance of theological education. A series of addresses by representatives of both ecclesiastical and secular bodies was then given, including addresses by His Eminence, Archbishop Konstantine of Tikhvin, Rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Archimandrite Leonid, Rector of the Minsk Seminary, Priest Georgii Orekhanov of the St. Tikhon's Orthodox Humanities University. Deacon Vladimir Tsurikov read a letter of His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary to His Eminence, Archbishop Evgenii, congratulating him on the Academy's anniversary.

This visit of representatives of Holy Trinity Seminary proved to be very productive in furthering joint academic efforts between Holy Trinity Seminary and the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary by allowing the Jordanville Seminary to be represented for the first time at the annual "Akt" of the Moscow Theological Academy and providing the opportunity for the further development of personal contact.