Under the chime of bells and hymns held a procession from the assumption Cathedral in the Holy cross Church Lavra
His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine Onufriy blessed the students and teachers of the Kyiv theological schools at the beginning of the new academic year.
On 2 September the students and teachers of the Kiev theological Academy and Seminary early in the morning in the assumption Cathedral of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra started a new, 2018 academic year with prayer, which was led by the Primate of the UOC, the correspondent of the SPM.
Concelebrating were: managing Director of the UOC Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna Meletius, Archbishop Theodosius boyar, Chairman of the education Committee of the Holy Synod of the UOC Archbishop of Nezhin and Priluki Clement, Bishop of Baryshevsky Victor, rector of the Kiev theological Academy and Seminary Bishop of Belgorod Sylvester.
Singing the Liturgy was the choir of Theological schools and the Metropolitan choir of the Lavra. The prayers were requests for health and God’s help all the teachers and students. The Cathedral and prayed for peace in Ukraine.
After the divine Liturgy, under the peal of bells and hymns held a procession from the assumption Cathedral in the Holy cross Cathedral of the monastery. Here, in front of the Shrine with the relics of the great patron of the Academy, the monk Nestor the Chronicler, Primate blessed the students and professors of the ecclesiastical Academy and Seminary at the beginning of the new academic year.
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry reminded the audience the story of king Solomon, who asked nothing from God except wisdom. “Once king Solomon, entered the Kingdom as a young boy, brought rich sacrifices to God, sacrifices of thanksgiving and then the Lord appeared to him and said, “What you want – ask me.” Solomon said, “Lord, give me an understanding heart that I may discern good and evil”. And the Lord listened to the request of Solomon and said, “because you never asked me, nor riches, nor long life, nor the souls of their enemies, I will give you such a mind and such wisdom, such as was not, neither before you nor after you will not, and if you obey my laws, will apply you many more years of your life.” This lesson is known for almost all of us, but it is always valuable and instructive, and it reminds us that in life is paramount”, – said the Primate.
He recalled, what is the primary task of every Christian, which students in religious schools.
“Naturally, we need food, drink, clothing and shelter, but the Lord said that He knows all this, and we must seek primarily the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Wisdom gives man the ability to find the way of God’s truth and God’s Kingdom. In religious schools, we learn this wisdom is spiritual wisdom, not of this age. Learn through a variety of subjects: dogmatic theology, moral theology, catechism, liturgics, New Testament, Old Testament, history and so on. It’s all fragments which, if they are folded, they form a beautiful vessel that depicts to us the wisdom of God,” explained the Archbishop.
Primate wished that the Lord help “all students to be diligent in collecting the wisdom of God, and to teachers, teachers – let helps available, to clearly present the truth of the Divine, which are called the divine wisdom”.
After a solemn prayer by all present venerated the relics of the monk Nestor the Chronicler. Then his Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry sprinkled each teacher and student with Holy water.
The seminarians welcomed the first day of class. For example, a third-year student of Rivne eparchy Alexander, favorite lesson of the Liturgy: “the Most important thing, in my opinion, what we have to learn to live a Eucharistic life and be an example for all others. Our “Alma mater” is called the Academy of spiritual, not theological. And the main thing we need here to take is spirituality, together with theological education. In my family there are no clerics, but my parents gladly approved my choice – to become a worthy servant of our Lord Jesus Christ,” said the young seminarian.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies at the monument of St. Peter’s Tomb was done by traditional photo, followed by class hours for the students of the Kyiv theological schools and a festive meal.
This year on full-time training entered the Seminary 67 people in the Academy – 32. Part – time 105 and 77, respectively. Among the students there are representatives of all regions of Ukraine except Crimea. Many of them already have a secular education
Earlier, on 30 September, before the beginning of the school year, according to tradition, near the firm of the ktha & s rector of the Kyiv theological schools Bishop belogorodskaya Sylvester blessed the pupils of the first class of the theological Seminary to wear the cassock and skufia.
