Kolomna Theological Seminary

The history of the Kolomna Orthodox Theological Seminary (hereinafter the Kolomna Seminary, or KDS, CPSU) begins in the first half of the 18th century, under Emperor Peter I. In 1721, according to the Spiritual Regulations - the main document that determines the life of the Church in this period - each diocese should open " bishop schools " to educate the children of the clergy. The seminaries began to open: in St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod (1721), in Kharkov and Tver (1722), and finally in Kolomna, Kazan , Kholmogory and Vyatka (1723). Thus, the Kolomna Seminary was founded in 1723, although it was originally called the bishop's school.

Its discovery was made during the bishop of Kolomenskoy Ioannikii .

Kolomna Theological Seminary (1723-1800)

In 1723, the bishop’s school in Kolomna was founded by Metropolitan Ioannikiy .

In 1731, Bishop Benjamin of Kolomna (Sakhnovsky) transformed the bishop's school into a seminary proper, or the Slavic-Latin school.

In 1739-1740 - Bishop Kiprian of Kolomna (Skripitsyn) finally formed the structure of the school.

Initially, Kolomenskaya Seminary was located in the cell building of the Holy Trinity Novo-Golutvin nunnery , near the bishop's house. The seminary was supported by the income of the bishop’s house and fees from church and monastery lands.

As in all other theological schools opened in Russia, the Kiev Theological School was adopted as a model in Kolomenskoy Seminary. In the primary grades, general educational disciplines were taught, in the senior ones - theological disciplines. Languages ​​were studied throughout the entire 8-year study, and many subjects were taught in pan-European then Latin. This complicated learning, but in the future made it possible to freely read the world Latin-language literature: works of the Holy Fathers, scientific, philosophical works. Knowledge of Latin was the foundation of classical education.

The discipline in the seminary in the 18th century was quite strict, reminiscent of the monastery. Seminary authorities, rector, prefect (deputy rector), overseers and students lived together. Seminarians were separated from the liberties of domestic life, rarely could see relatives - as now, this was an important element in the education of future clergy.

By 1788, the number of students in the seminary was 322. Theology was taught by the rector; philosophy was taught by the prefect; grammar, rhetoric and poetry are lay people. The curriculum also included the Gospel, the catechism, physics, the discipline "on the posts of man", history, geography, arithmetic, and computer science. In addition to Slavic and Latin, foreign languages ​​were studied: Greek, German and French. Among the teachers were clerics of the Assumption Cathedral in Kolomna .

Here Metropolitan of Moscow Plato (Levshin) , the largest Russian hierarch and theologian of the 18th century, began his education. In 1791-1799. The future Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, St. Filaret (Drozdov) , an outstanding hierarch and statesman, the first doctor of theology in Russia, studied here; canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Kolomensk Theological School (1800-1917)

In 1799, with the abolition of the Kolomna diocese, the seminary was appointed for transfer to Tula , together with the department of the bishop (by decree of the Holy Synod of December 19, 1799).

In the September-October 1799 report of the Holy Synod on the formation of new dioceses, the former Kolomenskaya Seminary was already called the Tula Seminary , named after the newly formed Tula Diocese . The translation of the seminary took place in early February 1800. About a year the Tula seminary had no location and was able to begin work no earlier than March 1801. The appropriations made by the Holy Synod for the former Kolomenskoy Seminary, now began to be allocated to the needs of Tula. In Kolomna itself, annexed to the Moscow diocese, a 2-year-old Kolomensky Theological College was formed (which is below the seminary). For his financial support, an Orthodox brotherhood was created by him. St. Filaret the Gracious, as many students of the school were from poor families. There was a regency department in the school.

Among the famous graduates of the Kolomna Theological College were: the theology professor N.P. Gilyarov-Platonov , the primitive members of the Holy Synod, future metropolitans St. Petersburg Isidor (Nikolsky) and Nikanor (Klementyevsky) , Moscow archpriests Nikolai Sergievsky, Pavel Ozeretskovsky and others.

In 1918, the school was abolished. The revival of the theological school became possible only after 72 years.

Diocesan Theological School of Moscow (1990-1996)

With the blessing of the Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomensky Juvenal, in one of the buildings of the Holy Trinity Novo-Golutvin Monastery (one-story southern building) in 1990 the Moscow Diocesan Theological School was opened with a 2-year course, led by Archpriest Nikolai Kachankin, rector of the Assumption Cathedral of the Assumption .

In 1994, a student choir of the Kolomna Theological College was created, which later became part of the clergy choir of the Moscow diocese.

In 1995, after restoration work in one of the fraternal buildings of the Staro-Golutvin monastery , the Kolomna Theological College was transferred there, with a transition to a 3-year term of study.

During the 6-year existence of the spiritual school (1990-1996) there were 3 graduates of students, most of whom took the holy dignity.

Kolomna Theological Seminary (since 1996)

In early 1996, by decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Moscow Diocesan School was transformed into the Kolomenskoy Theological Seminary, with the introduction of a 4-year term of study. The seminar was visited by the Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, Bishop Evgeny Vereisky (Reshetnikov) , MDAiS Professor Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin and theologian Aleksei Ilyich Osipov .

On October 10, 1996, the seminary church in honor of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, built in 1811 during the construction of the bell tower of the Staro-Golutvin Monastery, was consecrated by Metropolitan Juvenal of Krutitsy and Kolomna. It was restored by the seminary in 1995-1996.

In the spring of 1997, the first monastic tonsure of one of the seminarians was performed at the Staro-Golutvin Monastery.

The first issue of the CDS took place in 1998.

In the same year, the correspondence department of the CDS was opened.

In 1999, the CDU joined the World Organization of Orthodox Youth Sindesmos .

In 2002, Kolomenskaya Seminary switched to a new five-year educational system, becoming a higher educational institution. In the same year, re-certification was carried out - the Kolomna Theological Seminary was recognized as one of the six best educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church. The first issue of CDS under the new system took place in 2004.

By 2003, through the efforts of the seminary, an economic building with a bathhouse and other premises was built. A regular ennoblement of the surrounding area began. By 2004, two fraternal corpses of the monastery, where the seminary was located, were restored from ruins by the students and staff of the seminary. In one, the Western building (Academic), housed the administration, classrooms and temporarily refectory and cells. In the other, the Eastern building (Vvedensky) - an assembly hall and a hostel. A new building was built on the site of the monastery forge and the stable yard, where a refectory with a catering block, a warehouse and a library are located. At the same time, the rest of the buildings of the Old-Golutvin Monastery were being restored.

In August 1999, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II visited the seminary and monastery during his second visit to Kolomna.

In 2008, construction began on a new large complex of buildings of the CPSU, behind the inner southern wall of the Staro-Golutvin monastery.

On June 18-19, 2011, the dome of the future church of the Three Saints, the domes to the belfry and crosses were consecrated and installed. On December 5, 2011, the bells of the temple belfry were consecrated and raised. 13 unique bells are cast at the VN Anisimov factory in Voronezh. Financing was provided by the Russian Education Fund META. ^[1] The consecration of domes and bells was made by Metropolitan Juvenal of Krutitsy and Kolomna.

August 12, 2012 - His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Cyril consecrated the church of the Three Saints of the new seminary, and the rector of the seminary Archimandrite Konstantin (Ostrovsky) was elevated to the rank of bishop. The day before the consecrated administrative, educational and residential building of the seminary.

The educational, administrative and residential building of the seminary with a total area of ​​about 10 thousand m2 made it possible to significantly increase the number of students in the seminary. After the opening of a new complex of buildings, Kolomenskaya Seminary will be able to accept up to 150 full-time students and 700 full-time students ^[2] .

At the seminary in 1994, its own choir was created, which is now part of the clergy of the Moscow diocese.

• Archimandrite Iakinf (Karpinsky) (1772-1775)
• Archimandrite Arseny (Todorsky) (September 1775-1784)
• Archimandrite John (Ostrovsky) (1789-1795)
• Archpriest Nikolai Kachankin (1996 - July 26, 2012)
• Bishop Zaraisk Constantine (Ostrovsky) (from July 26, 2012)