St. Philaret Institute Completes Its 37th Academic Year
The Theology Faculty of the St. Philaret Institute produced 14 bachelor’s and 8 master’s degree graduates this year. The History Faculty celebrated the first graduating class of its master’s program entitled “The History of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 20th Century” (6 students), while 7 students completed the “Social History of the Fatherland” programme. The Faculty of Religious Studies had 13 graduates from its “Religion, Culture, and Society” programme and 9 who completed professional development in our “Christian-Muslim Relations” course. The Social Work Department produced 11 graduates from its “Long-Term Social Work Care Systems” programme and launched a new programme called “Social Casework: Innovative Models and Methods.” Additionally, 33 students, supported by the Timchenko Foundation, completed a specially designed short course called “Introduction to Social Casework.” The Theological College had 12 graduates from its “Fundamentals of Orthodox Theology” programme through full-time study (part-time students will have their final session in August). Ten graduates completed professional development courses in Church History and Holy Scripture, and 40 finished the additional general education programme called “Fundamentals of the Language of Visual Arts.”
“Now is a time when educated people are especially needed — and I mean those educated in the humanities and spiritually. There are too few such people in our country today. Our people need spiritual enlightenment, strengthening, and the acquisition of faith, as there are still many who lack it,” said Fr Georgij Kochetkov, the founder and spiritual father of the St. Philaret Institute, as he addressed faculty, staff, graduates, students, and friends of the Institute.
This comes as no surprise after more than a century during which people have lost the depth, integrity, fullness, and quality of their lives. Thanks be to God, changes are beginning, and there is hope that the ray of enlightenment will penetrate not only into secular society but also into the Church, even for those who are currently quite wary of it. It is crucial that we do not miss this historic moment as unfortunately happened in the 1990s, when many flocked to a Church unprepared to address its contemporary pressing issues and therefore left the quality of newcomers’ lives largely unchanged,” added Fr Georgij.
We who live in the Church must serve this enlightenment. We must be better than others at answering the most difficult, pressing, and controversial questions, no matter what sphere of life they touch,” the SFI founder said, addressing the Institute’s faculty, graduates, and students.”
Following the traditional thanksgiving service in the St. Philaret Chapel, SFI Rector Aleksandr Kopirovskij ceremonially presented diplomas to the graduates. The informal part of the celebration, prepared by the graduates and accompanied by music from a domra ensemble, took place in the courtyard.
Elena Migunova, a graduate of the “Social History of the Fatherland” programme: “History opened up to me in a completely new way. Every lecture was a moment of revelation — as if scales were falling from my eyes. There wasn’t a single unnecessary subject. These were two years of continuous joy. It felt to me as if light itself began to shine differently. Thank you to the Institute for this opportunity to study at any age.”
Yulia Stepanova, graduate of the Theological Faculty’s master’s programme: “I realized in my first year of the master’s program that studying for my bachelor’s was worth it just to get here. Everything is different — challenging questions and a new way of thinking. I urge bachelor’s graduates not to stop and to continue their studies to truly understand why they pursued this education.”
Maria Tardova, graduate of the “Religion, Culture, and Society” programme: “The academic standards at SFI are sky-high. But the most important thing is the warm, familial atmosphere at every level. You can approach the dean and say, ‘I don’t understand this topic,’ and he or she will provide books, dictionaries, and explanations until you grasp the subject matter well. This isn’t just education; it’s true guidance on the path of knowledge. I came for academic learning and didn’t expect to also find the joy of fellowship, warmth, and meaning, which are so rare in the world of education.”
Dmitry Gasak, First Vice-Rector of SFI: “The issue of enlightenment remains relevant — not just the acquisition of professional skills, but that ‘useless’ knowledge that allows a person to understand life, this world, its people, and the laws that govern it. I sincerely hope this year has brought us all such ‘useless knowledge’ — making us wiser, more sensitive to others, to the spirit of the times, and to understanding the forces, faith, hope, and love that can transform this life.”
