Who can become an Orthodox priest? How do they become clergy?
In this article you will learn how to become a priest. Kyiv priest Grigory Kryzhanovsky told Pravmir about this. Read!
Petya jumped with a parachute, but Vasya did not, and Petya tells Vasya how great it is. But Vasya looks at Petya and thinks: this could break all the bones, and this does happen!
Why quit a great job? Why work in construction with a higher education?
By the way, it is not necessary to change your job. Wash the dishes as before, but you can wash them and feel happy. I discovered in my 30s that I don't like washing dishes, but rather splash around in warm water. All my life I thought that I loved washing dishes, but my wife denounced me.
It takes a lot of courage to admit this to yourself. You seem to be good, but in reality you love pleasure. You do good deeds, but you yourself love praise and attention.
In a large family, you need to compete for parental attention. You have to put your shoes on the shelf, make your bed, and for this they tell you that you are good - but you are the same as everyone else, although you realize this at 30.
No matter how good you are, no matter how many years you have been in the Church, over time you will learn that you are the same as others, like believers and non-believers, in terms of the degree of your distance from God. But God is everywhere and always, and the question is whether you let Him into yourself.
The feeling that Petya experienced while jumping with a parachute - how to convey it? The word becomes scarcer and ceases to be significant. Divine services, chants, temple construction, paintings, all this splendor is an attempt, an attempt.
Madness, actions - that's what really amazes people. Someone's example convinces them that they need to change. And God changes a person. How and when this happens is a mystery. For some during life, for others right before death, at the moment of death or after it - but the Lord will give to everyone who asks.
It takes courage to be a believer. This is not just a ritual: go here, come here, light a candle, take a blessing. If a person truly seeks God beyond his strength, who is merciful, forgiving, and gives grace and energy, he is a brave person, he decides to live forever. This is a serious decision and responsibility.
I grew up in a closed, large family with little contact with the world. For example, for a long time I did not know that there was such a thing as divorce. I had many uncles and aunts throughout the Union, we saw them regularly, and they all had full-fledged families. And already at school I learned that it happens like this: a boy without a dad, but not because his dad died.
My father and mother did not profess Jesus Christ, they were materialists, good people of Soviet views. They didn't say we had to be kind, they were just kind to us. And kindness is even more important than decency.
I graduated from the physics and mathematics class with a gold medal, and in 1995 I entered the KPI. I decided to study to become a programmer. I thought about law school, but didn’t go because court cases turned me off.
When, in my second year, one department head hired me to work in an organization associated with the Ministry of Justice, I worked there for a year and a half as a computer systems engineer and realized that I did not want to be a lawyer for moral and ethical reasons. In addition, the work of a programmer was more creative.
Then I worked at Golden Telecom for five years, working in the financial department with database and accounting systems. Here, over time, I became interested not in the applied aspect of programming, but in the aspect of developing database architecture and systems analysis.
When I moved to Foxtrot, a completely Ukrainian company, I noticed a difference in mentality. Golden Telecom was half an American company, which means different approaches and principles. The most important thing here is the skills of a specialist. In a foreign company you understand that the Minister of Economy cannot become the Minister of Health. There is a corporate spirit here; you yourself value the opportunity to earn money above all else.
In a Ukrainian company, you must be, first of all, a person - a cool guy, a friend, a fellow countryman, in general, one of our own. Narrow specialization is not so important here: having worked in domestic business, you already fully admit that the Minister of Economy can become both the Minister of Internal Affairs and Health. Here they recruit a team rather than specialists.
At the same time as working, I was studying as a full-time student. My boss was a workaholic, from him I learned patience, the ability to surpass yourself - when you can’t anymore, but you’re still working.
After Foxtrot, I worked for a year at MTS. During that period, I spent a lot of time on hobbies: psychology, introspection, worldview concepts. These are apparently innate inclinations: my older brother became a psychiatrist.
It was then that I began to become interested in Christianity - after I came across Alexander Men’s book “The Son of Man.” I was no longer interested in making money. While I was helping my parents support their family, this was important, but now the children had grown up, the older ones were settling into their lives, the younger ones had finished school, I was no longer needed as a breadwinner and could devote more time to myself.
I was planning a family life. I had a sad experience in a relationship with a girl - I liked her, but I didn’t marry her. I was in search, constantly thinking about how to become happy. People often associate happiness with something external. The present is not enough for him, he needs guarantees of the future, and this makes him extremely tormented.
At some point I realized that I don’t like disappointments, I’m afraid of them. If I live to be 70 and only then learn the truth, it will mean that my whole life has been a mistake. And I thought with youthful maximalism: it’s better to find out this truth tomorrow.
For some reason I remember this moment - it happened at night, around 2 o’clock. I loved staying up late, looking at the burning windows of high-rise buildings around me: these are thousands and thousands of different destinies that I don’t think about until I sit by the window. Happiness, unhappiness, everything is seething, or is already asleep, or has already disappeared.
And I say to myself - why is all this? And at this moment I decide that for the truth I could pay with the most precious thing - my life. I made this decision and forgot about it, but from that moment my life began to change dramatically.
I started reading books dedicated to the soul and God - and once again changed jobs, moving to Philip Morris. This is a tobacco manufacturer. Now I changed jobs not due to earnings - I was more interested in the team, relationships with people.
And my brother starts going to church. I was a provocateur, I loved to scare people, to laugh at people, and now I’m probably the same, I just got into the habit of doing it softer, so that it would be beneficial, to laugh at myself rather. So, my brother tells me about Jesus Christ, and I answer him: “Was there a boy?” He was very angry with me then.
In general, when my boss returned to work at Philip Morris from maternity leave, I said that I was fed up with this smoking and that I was quitting. I went nowhere, went to live in the country.
It was a period when everything came naturally. It was rather difficult for me before this. By this time I had already fasted, lived on the balcony for six months, slept on a rug - these were my ascetic practices - and went to church, to the Church of St. Cyril.
Those around me were frightened by my behavior. They told my mother: “your son is crazy, but it’s okay, you have five more normal children.” Classmates - all capable mathematicians, materialists - shook their heads, saying that a man had disappeared.
I re-read a ton of literature. I was especially struck by Anthony Sourozhsky’s book “Man Before God.” I entered into a state of conversation with the author where I ask a question and find the answer on the next page. I understand what this man is preaching for me. By this time, I was already in my second year of evening catechetical school at the parish of St. Catherine on the street. Polupanova.
One and zero - what could be less? We know that zero can be approached from the right and from the left. What can you see when you can't see anything? Nothing, but you can feel it. When you're sitting on a tricky math problem, you need insight. When you are looking for God, you can read the wisest mentor, sensei, guru a thousand times - and you will not understand anything.
I had my eureka moment when I became an active churchgoer. Fighting for my ideals, I fail. If earlier I strived for everyday success, now this failure was my success. In what sense? My mother consoled me, and I told her: everything is God’s will. And she: do you really believe that?
And then I understand that this is just a familiar phrase. I don’t know the will of God, I don’t know God, and His will interests me only when it is combined with mine. It was a moment of horror: God forbid that God’s will be for everything!
This was my insight, a new turning point in my life. All my dreams are starting to come true. I begin to feel God, search for Him, run after Him. After reading the books and lives of the saints, I begin to look for God's people in the Church and outside it - meetings, communication, disappointment... Experiencing and seeing miracles is terrible in its own way, because at some point they will end, and you will have to pay for them, as and for all happiness.
In church, I became familiar to people as a diligent parishioner thanks to some of my instilled qualities from childhood. My aunt once said: maybe you’ll become a priest? And then someone else: come on, get ordained, you will serve the liturgy for children.
The first time I heard this, I fainted: I am a distant, unworthy person. And then the circle narrowed and the time came when I prayed: “Lord, I want this. Do you, Lord, want this? Let me know". A prayer of gratitude appeared not only for what I have, but for the fact that You exist, Lord. I am insignificant, but God's mercy is immeasurable. It is this feeling of gratitude that gives courage to ask: “What do you want, Lord?” In the phone call they told me “Axios!”
Although I didn't have a job, I constantly found one for myself. I'm a workaholic - I just love to work. This is a model of behavior: in a large family it is impossible not to work; parents have never been idle.
At that moment I am rebuilding the house, turning the dacha into a solid dwelling. I make money from transportation and construction. I dreamed of a private house, of a family - and now it all appeared: both a house and a woman who accepted my proposal. That same year I entered the seminary, for which I took the blessing of my wife - she was exactly the person thanks to whom I, faint-hearted, made up my mind.
By the time I was ordained, my relatives and their parents had already become church people; they all found in the Church a solution to their problems that were, in principle, unsolvable in the world.
This year we celebrated the 9th anniversary of the deaf community at the Ionin Monastery. Deaf people are essentially foreigners who are unable to learn our language. And only we can learn their language and help them.
Who doesn't want to learn a deaf language as a child? I lived in Vinogradar, not far from boarding school No. 6. You think: that would be great, and you forget about it. And when I entered the third grade of the seminary and they began to teach us sign language, it turned out that I was capable of it.
As a deacon, I was asked to come to Ioninsky, where services were held with the help of a translator. The deaf took a closer look at me and decided: “This is the future priest! We need him to learn – we need him.” After all, there are things that a person wants to discuss with a priest directly, without an interpreter.
Overall, I realized that this was an opportunity to serve people. And not ordinary people, but deprived people and at the same time people of God who fulfilled God’s commandment “be like children.” They are active, trusting, open - but in their own environment.
Language is a culture-forming factor, so it is a separate people. Sign language forms a national minority in the territory. In Europe this has already been formally prescribed. A foreigner is born into an ordinary family! If parents do not learn the language of their child, the child will find people of his “nation” and will not fully return to the family.
Before the revolution, the Church translated liturgical texts into sign language. There were almshouses and parochial schools for the deaf in St. Petersburg. In Kyiv, a priest also began teaching the deaf. He had two deaf daughters, and he had enough money to send one of them to study. She returned and taught her sister and father, who began to teach the children.
The revolution interrupted this endeavor, like many others. It became even worse when Stalin spoke to the effect that the deaf are inferior, and their language is also a manifestation of inferiority. Then the deaf were forbidden to communicate in their language and were forced to keep their hands in their pockets. The tradition of liturgy for the deaf was completely lost, and only in the 90s did the Orthodox Church in Kyiv begin to engage in translations.
Difficulties arose with the translation of some theological terms and texts, those in which the teaching about Christ is concentrated - we had to largely start from scratch, creating gestures denoting these concepts.
Now almost all liturgical texts have been translated. After all, once a language has been developed and there is a dictionary, the rest is a matter of technology. A video dictionary of sign language for liturgical terms has been created. We have collected everything we have learned and are disseminating the information.
Now is the age of rapid information development. God gives revelation to people, and they use it for good or evil. Mobile phones - it’s as if they were specially invented for the deaf so that they could type SMS. The Internet is also for them.
There are many of us - 20 people at a service, but about 60 in total. Now we have six to eight translators - more than in the Minsk and St. Petersburg communities, which are older than us. Recently we have been to Lutsk, Chisinau, the Moscow region, Zhitomir, and we are going to Kherson.
What do we preach? There are already believers there. Only that it is possible and necessary to translate the service. We need to embrace these people too. God chose them, and we can help ensure that their faith is realized through wide and full participation in the liturgy.
There is nothing special or special about my priestly service in this community. Only knowledge of sign language. The feelings, emotions, and everyday issues of these people are the same as ours. The divine service itself, of course, has its own specifics. First, the translator must be a believer. Know the divine service, understand the content and meaning of prayers, dramaturgy. He must have feelings!
If I were deaf, a purely technical, unemotional translation would not suit me. I would like my brother or sister to translate, for example. The service flows; there is a visible and an audible part of it. And the audible must be translated into visual. Thus, the “video sequence” in worship for the deaf is more intense. And since this “channel” is overloaded, you cannot “throw” unnecessary things into it.
Father should express himself simply, not abstrusely. The translator needs discreet, non-distracting clothing, the priest needs a trimmed mustache. I'm lucky with my mustache.
Magazine "To the Right", No. 1, 2014
The path to becoming a priest, like any profession, begins with special education. To become a priest, you must graduate from a theological seminary. A man aged 18-35 years old, who has completed secondary education, is single or in his first marriage (divorced or remarried people are not allowed to enter the seminary) can enter there. In addition to the usual documents that are presented in all educational institutions, the applicant must submit a recommendation from an Orthodox clergyman, a written blessing from the bishop, a baptismal certificate, and if the applicant is married, a wedding certificate.
Submission of all required documents does not guarantee admission to the entrance exams. The applicant must undergo an interview in which his beliefs and motives for entering the seminary are tested.
The main entrance exam is the Law of God. Here you need to demonstrate knowledge of Orthodox teaching, sacred history and liturgical regulations. Other exams include church history and church singing. Future seminarians also take a language exam in the form of an essay, but the range of topics is special - church history. In addition, the applicant must know many prayers by heart and read fluently in Church Slavonic.
They study at the seminary for 5 years. Future priests study not only theology, liturgical disciplines and church singing, but also philosophy, logic, rhetoric, literature and other humanitarian subjects. A seminary graduate must decide whether he will be a monk or a parish priest. In the second case, he is obliged to marry.
But receiving a special education does not mean that a person has become a priest, because the priesthood is one of the sacraments.
A person becomes a priest in the sacrament of consecration - ordination. At the same time, the Holy Spirit descends on him, and thanks to this, the priest becomes not just a spiritual mentor for the laity, but also a bearer of Grace. Only a bishop can perform consecration; this takes place in the altar during the liturgy.
Ordination must be preceded by ordination - ordination to the rank of subdeacon. This is not a clergyman, but a clergyman. It is not necessary to be married at the time of ordination, but if you are not married before ordination, you cannot marry later.
A subdeacon can be ordained as a deacon - this is the first level of the church hierarchy. The deacon participates in the performance of the sacraments, but does not perform them independently - with the exception of Baptism.
The next step is ordination to the priesthood. A priest, unlike a deacon, has the right to perform the sacraments, with the exception of ordination.
Unless we are talking about a monk, the ordained person is required to be absolutely monogamous. Not only is divorce and remarriage of the initiate himself not allowed (even in the event of the death of his first wife), he must not be married to a widow or divorced woman. A person should not be under ecclesiastical or secular court or be bound by government duties that could interfere with priestly service. And, of course, special moral and spiritual qualities are required from the future priest. This is revealed during a special henchman confession.
The third level of the hierarchy is the bishop. Such an ordination is performed by a council of bishops. Not every priest can become a bishop; this is available only to hieromonks - priest-monks. The bishop has the right to perform all sacraments, including ordination, and to consecrate churches according to the full rite.
How to become a priest?
Publication date 03.06.2010
In recent years, feature films have been devoted to the image of the Orthodox clergyman in our country. Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church are frequent guests of various television programs on secular television channels and indispensable participants in the most important state ceremonies. However, the world of clergy still remains largely closed to the unchurched part of society. A correspondent for the newspaper “Vacancy” decided to find out how priests are trained in our city? To do this, we turned to the seminary teacher, rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Quick to Hear, Archpriest Father Boris (Bezmenov).
– There is an opinion that people are accepted into the seminary almost right away. Is it really?
– Under Soviet rule, it was very risky to come to us. Therefore, about 60% of the seminarians came from villages in Western Ukraine, where strong spiritual traditions were preserved. I even learned Ukrainian while working in the admissions office. Of the exams in the 60s and 70s, we only had dictation, interviews and singing. Today, the level of applicants has noticeably increased, “people with laptops” come to us, so the admissions committee has someone to choose from.
– What is the competition today? Relatively speaking, how many applicants are there for one place and what are the general requirements for future seminarians?
– It is difficult to give a specific figure, since anyone wishing to enter the seminary will have to go through a serious selection sieve. Let's start with the fact that, according to the established rules, the St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Seminary, which is a higher specialized educational institution, admits males aged 18 to 35 years, with at least a secondary education, single or married in their first marriage. To be admitted to the interview and oral examinations, applicants must obtain a recommendation from the diocesan bishop or a certified recommendation from a parish priest. And then, in addition to passing oral exams on the biblical history of the Old and New Testaments, the Catechism, general church history, the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Church Charter, applicants must write a statement on a biblical or church historical topic. The selection committee also checks knowledge of basic prayers, church chants, and an ear for music. A prerequisite is the ability to read the Psalter in Church Slavonic.
– And when do the entrance exams start?
– Seminary exams begin in mid-August. The classes themselves start from September 1. By the way, the training period is five years. Students are paid a stipend. Nonresident students, as well as all single students, are provided with a hostel and free meals. Moreover, of course, they can go out into the city, but must spend the night in a hostel.
- It’s not easy to do. But how is the graduate’s fate then decided? What is the distribution principle?
– Our seminarians are not only from the St. Petersburg diocese, but from all over Russia. Moreover, we have a faculty for foreign students. Everyone who graduates from the seminary then returns to their diocese, where the hierarchy distributes the graduates to parishes. It happens that capable students from other dioceses are left in St. Petersburg, but this requires the blessing of the bishop who recommended them for admission. And all the locals go to our Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Vladimir, and he decides where to send graduates to serve. Of course, every seminary graduate is precious. Today, almost every diocese has its own seminaries and theological schools. That's why many of our graduates become teachers.
– Is it true that before graduating from the seminary, a student must either find a spouse or become a monk?
– You can take holy orders only after first deciding your fate. You need to decide whether you are following the monastic path or getting married. Once you have been ordained, you cannot change your status. There are three options: a person takes monastic vows, or he gets married and has one wife for life, or a third, extremely rare and undesirable path: a person has not taken monastic vows, has not married, but is not ready to become a monk. This is called celibacy.
– Where do future clergymen find brides? After all, a seminarian cannot go to a dance in a nightclub, for example...
– Previously, finding a bride for a seminarian was a big problem. Today we have a regency class open at our seminary, where they train conductors of the spiritual choir. Mostly girls from religious families who want to receive spiritual education study there. Many of them marry seminary students and become mothers. We have examples where marriages take place after meeting on Orthodox sites.
After long persecution of religion under Soviet rule, the Orthodox Church of Russia is experiencing a period of revival. Temples and monasteries are being restored, and the number of parishioners is increasing every day. For proper churching, believers need experienced, friendly clergy.
Where and how long do they study to become a priest?
In order to become a priest in Russia, go to theological seminary. The training lasts 4-5 years, the terms depend on the educational institution. After graduating from the seminary, newly minted clergy are placed at the disposal of the Church Patriarchates of the Russian Orthodox Church and are distributed among parishes.
Higher church education is divided into two stages: bachelor's and master's degrees. In order to complete the first level, you need to study for 4 years. The second stage of spiritual education lasts 2 years.
A master's degree is equivalent to an academic education and is possible only after completing a bachelor's degree, that is, a seminary. There are many clergy in Russia; you can choose from a large number of educational institutions the one that is closer to the applicant in disposition and spirit.
There are seminaries in Moscow, St. Petersburg, central Russia, as well as beyond the Urals and in the Far East. Study programs in Russian theological seminaries allow you to receive high-quality and free spiritual education.
There are also correspondence forms of study in seminaries. They study in this way for 5 years, there are annual donations for training in the amount of 4 thousand rubles and payment for accommodation during the sessions.
How to enter the seminary
The seminary accepts only men between the ages of 18 and 35, who must be of the Orthodox faith. Applicants must have completed high school, have a certificate and be a member of the church.
Upon admission, you need recommendations from priests from local parishes, certified by bishops, and a list of documents required for applicants to all universities in Russia. This is a health certificate, passport, copy of the medical policy and military ID. A complete list of documents must be checked with the educational institution.
The seminary takes entrance exams on the Law of God, and applicants also write an essay on church historical topics. You can become a clergyman in Russia only if you have previously had a spiritual life in the Russian Orthodox Church and a very great desire to serve people, bringing them the Word of God.
Sources:
- How future priests live and study
- Rules for admission to the Don Theological Seminary
To enter the spiritual seminary you need to meet the internal requirements imposed by the Russian Orthodox Church on applicants. According to them, in seminary Accepted are male Orthodox Christians under the age of thirty-five, with secondary or higher education, single or first married.
Instructions
For the spiritual seminary The following documents must be prepared:
application addressed to the rector (filled out upon arrival at the office);
a recommendation from the diocesan bishop or parish priest, certified by the diocesan bishop;
two photographs in 3x4 and six 6x8 formats;
a completed application form (to be completed upon arrival at the office);
autobiography (filled out upon arrival at the office);
passport (the passport must indicate registration at the place of residence and citizenship);
ticket or registration certificate (must have a mark on military registration);
an insurance policy of compulsory medical insurance issued at the place of permanent residence (for citizens of the Russian Federation) or an international insurance policy (for citizens of near and far abroad, including Belarus);
birth certificate;
document about (spiritual and secular);
certificate of family composition;
certificate of baptism;
marriage and wedding certificate (for married people);
medical certificate (No. 086/у);
a copy of the certificate of ordination as a reader (for readers), a copy of the certificate of ordination as a priest (deacon) and a copy of the latest decree of the ruling bishop on appointment to the parish (for clergy).
Procedure for admission to the clergy seminary uniform for all educational institutions. Differences occur only in the disciplines in which the exams are taken. Therefore, of course, you need to check the admission rules directly at the chosen educational institution:
“Biblical”, “Church Doctrine” and “Orthodox Worship” (comprehensive exam)
"Church Slavonic language";
An essay or presentation on church historical topics.
“Church singing” (listening).
At the interview, the applicant must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of prayers:
: “Glory to Thee, our God, Thee,” “Heavenly King...”, “Holy God...”, “Holy Trinity...”, “Our Father...”, “Come let us worship...” ;
morning: “Rising from sleep...”, “God, cleanse me, a sinner...”, to the Guardian Angel;
vespers: “Eternal God...”, “To the Almighty, the Word of the Father...”, “Good Mother of the King...”, Guardian Angel;
Mother of God: “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...”, “It is worthy to eat...”, “To the chosen Governor...”, “The door of mercy...”, “Imams have no other help...”;
Symbol of faith. Prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian. Prayer before Holy Communion “I believe, Lord, and I confess...”. Ten Commandments. The Beatitudes. Troparions of the Twelve Feasts. Troparion to your saint. Psalm 50 and 90.
note
The procedure for admission to the theological seminary for the correspondence department differs from the usual one. Clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church are accepted for the correspondence education sector; there is no age limit. Enrollment in the correspondence education sector occurs on the recommendation of the diocesan bishop without entrance exams. Those entering the correspondence sector personally provide the following documents to the seminary:
Related article
Sources:
- Website of the Moscow Orthodox Theological Academy
The recognized centers of church education in the Russian Orthodox Church are the Moscow Theological Academy and the Moscow Theological Seminary. Graduates of these educational institutions made a huge contribution to the development of spirituality in Russia. The main condition for Christians who wish to study at the Academy will be that they complete a course of study at the Seminary.
Instructions
First of all, it follows that in spiritual seminary They do not accept everyone, but only those Orthodox who have gained experience in spiritual life and intend to devote themselves to serving the church. Therefore, a prerequisite for spiritual seminary there will be a blessing from the confessor, approved by the ruling bishop.
The age of persons admitted to study at the Seminary is from 18 to 35 years. The candidate must have completed his or her GED. Admission to a religious educational institution is accompanied by entrance exams. In addition, candidates will have an interview with members of the selection committee.
Particular attention is paid to determining the candidate’s general educational level, interests and hobbies, knowledge of the history of the country, its cultural and spiritual heritage. During the conversation, which usually does not take the form of an exam, members of the admissions committee also find out how well the applicant understands the processes taking place in modern society.
A representative from any region of Russia and the CIS countries can enter the Moscow Theological Seminary. There are also applicants from those republics of the former Soviet Union where Christianity is not the predominant religion. The first place among Russian regions in terms of the number of students is occupied by the Moscow region and Moscow. However, the capital has always been distinguished not so much by the number of people entering the Seminary, but also by their fairly high educational level.
Orthodox Theological Seminaries are higher educational institutions of the Christian Church. The educational process can last four years (under the bachelor's system) plus a couple more years (master's system).
In Theological Seminaries, the basis of the educational process is the study of the traditions of the Orthodox faith and the basic tenets of Christianity (dogmatic and moral). We can say that the seminary teaches the Christian life itself. But one cannot think that in such educational institutions students read nothing but the Bible. Each seminary has several departments. Among them are the departments of theology (theology), church history, philology (for example, classical and foreign linguistics), liturgical, church practical, national history and some others (depending on the specifics of the institution).
The main subjects are the Holy Scriptures of the New and Old Testaments, dogmatic theology, liturgics, patrolology, and church history. In addition to purely Christian disciplines, students study many secular sciences. Thus, special attention may be paid to the teaching of ancient languages (Latin, Ancient Greek and Hebrew). Students try to delve into various types of history, not only church history, but also secular history (domestic history, world history, and others).
The seminaries are dominated by humanities. Students study religious and secular philosophy, and study various branches of psychology. Special courses can be taught on the basics of working with prisoners and the specifics of teaching theology. Some seminaries offer advanced mathematics, as well as subjects such as science and even physical education.
A special place in the educational process is occupied by the study of the doctrine of heterodox churches (Catholic and Protestant) and sect studies. The ability to debate is taught in lectures on rhetoric and oratory, and in homeletics students are taught how to correctly compose sermons.
It turns out that a person who has received a seminary diploma is not only a specialist in the field of theology, but can also understand the basic humanities.
Orthodox priest- in the commonly used (non-terminological) meaning - a minister of a religious cult. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in religion (see choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects).
Features of the profession
According to the teaching of the Church, priesthood- one of the seven Sacraments. This means that in order to become a priest, it is not enough to obtain a diploma, and even more so, it is impossible to declare oneself a priest.
A person becomes a priest after he is ordained, that is, consecrated, by a bishop who, according to church teaching, has special power. The bishop, in turn, received this power from previous bishops. The chain of ordinations stretches back centuries and begins from Christ and the apostles, and is therefore called Apostolic Succession. It makes it possible to receive spiritual gifts for performing the sacraments.
The priest performs six of the seven church sacraments: baptism, confirmation, communion, repentance (confession), marriage (wedding) and consecration of oil (unction). The sacrament of the priesthood (ordination to the priesthood) can only be performed by a bishop. During services, the priest offers a prayer for the whole world. Since one of the most important duties is making confession, the priest must be able to deeply feel a person, his problems and characteristics. In addition, the parish priest is called to be the organizer of parish life; he must be not only a mentor, but also a friend of his parishioners, ready to be with them in sorrow and joy.
The priesthood has three degrees: bishop (patriarch and metropolitan - types of episcopal ministry), priest, deacon (colloquially deacon). The clergy is divided into black (monks) and white. Only a monk can become a bishop; priests and deacons can be monks (hieromonks and hierodeacons) or not. Typically, white clergy are family clergy, but you can only marry before ordination and only once. Women are not ordained in the Orthodox Church, but women occupy an important and prominent place in church life.
Important qualities
The profession of a priest is not ordinary; it should be called a ministry; it requires a special calling. Like a doctor, a priest must be connected with people not only by professional knowledge, but also by personal qualities: goodwill, openness to needs and problems. Of course, first of all, it is necessary that the priest himself has faith: trying to perform priestly functions mechanically, “not for the sake of Jesus, but for the sake of the bread” is not only dishonest, but also pointless and untenable even from a purely professional point of view. Therefore, marriage in the work of both a doctor and a priest is especially unacceptable: profanity in these ministries is more dangerous than in other professions.
Salary
Where to study to be a priest
Usually they become priests after studying in theological seminaries. True, at one time, due to a shortage of priests, it was necessary to ordain people who did not have special education, but now this is no longer necessary: the number of seminaries and theological schools has increased in recent years.
The most famous of them are the Moscow Theological Seminary and Academy in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and St. Petersburg. A candidate for admission is required, in addition to passing exams, to have a reference from the parish priest.