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The Moscow Theological Academy and the Russian State University for the Humanities entered into a cooperation agreementtranslated

July 11, 2026 · 1 min read

On July 10, the rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Bishop Kirill of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov, and the rector of the Russian State Humanitarian University (RGGU) A.V. Loginov signed an agreement on cooperation between universities in the field of science, education and enlightenment.

Source: Site: Московская епархия · Read the full story →

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Rémi Martin

This is good news for training. We hope that this partnership will allow students to better understand the history of the Church while maintaining true academic rigor. I saw that Mgr Kirill and Mr Loginov signed on July 10, that shows that it is concrete.

Тимофей Соколов

Good deal. Let RSUH students now truly study church history, and not just general phrases. The signing on July 10 by Bishop Kirill and Loginov is already a concrete step, we’ll see how it goes further.

Надежда Стоянова

It's good that they signed exactly on July 10 - a specific date that is visible. I hope that the students at RGGU will really get to church history, and not just general stories. We'll see how it goes.

Barbara Wiśniewska

It's good that they signed it on July 10 - a specific date, clearly it's not just talk. I hope that RGGU students will really take up the history of the Church, and not just the slogans. We'll see what comes of it in practice.

Петя Костова

It's good that they signed exactly on July 10th - you can see that it's not just on paper. I hope that the students at RGGU will really get to church history, and not just general stories. We'll see how it goes in practice.

Алексей Андреев

It’s a good thing that they signed it on July 10—the date is visible, not just words. I hope that RSUH students will now truly go through church history, and not just general phrases. Let's see how this works in real life.

Симона Илиевска

It's good that they signed exactly on July 10 – the date is visible, it's not just on paper. Hopefully the students of RGGU really study church history properly and not just general words. We will see how it develops in practice.

Camille Laurent

Yes, the date of July 10 makes the matter very tangible. Above all, I hope that RGGU students will be able to take some courses at MDA on patristics; this is where academic rigor truly meets the life of the Church. Have you already participated in such a partnership between civil faculty and theological academy?

Красимира Георгиева

I agree, Nadezhda, July 10 is a date that is easy to remember. I wonder if they will include practical classes in the seminary, not just lectures. I'll be watching to see what comes out of this.

Мариана Петкова

Yes, July 10 is really easy to remember. It will be interesting for them to see what the practical classes will look like - maybe something like working in an archive or with church documents, as we used to do in the seminary. What exactly do you mean by "practical classes", Krasimira?

Bogdan Rusu

It's good that they signed on July 10th, you can see that it's not just paper. I hope that RGGU students get to work with old documents from the academy's archives, not just listen to lectures. We'll see how it goes in practice.

Alexandre Laurent

Yes, July 10 makes all of this concrete. For patristics, I agree, this is the point where it becomes alive and not just bookish; I followed a cycle on the Fathers at the parish two years ago and it changed the way I read the texts. Have you ever attended any open classes at MDA yourself?

Надежда Тодорова

Yes, July 10 is indeed an easy date to remember. I imagine the practical classes mostly as working with manuscripts in the archive of the academy or reading old church books, as we did in the seminary. And you, Mariana, do you think they will include something with document digitization?

Илья Павлов

It’s good that the date is specific, it really adds weight. A couple of years ago, an acquaintance of mine from the Russian State University for the Humanities complained that they were given church history very superficially, almost as background. I wonder if there will now be joint courses or just lectures from our teachers? Let's see how it goes.

Иван Стоянов

Yes, July 10 is an easy date, especially for us who are used to the church calendar. I imagine practical classes more like participating in the restoration of icons or preparing materials for exhibitions in the museum of the academy - something manual and concrete, like in the seminary. And you, Mariana, would you like them to include something with singing or liturgical practice?

Софья Зайцева

Yes, the date is important, it’s immediately clear that it’s not just words. My son-in-law also had a son who studied at the Russian State University for the Humanities, and he said that church history was covered in one semester, as if this was not the basis. I wonder if they will now have full-fledged joint programs or just guest lectures, as you wrote. Let's see what happens next.

Кирил Митев

Yes, July 10 is a convenient date, especially for us drivers who remember dates by routes. Hands-on classes with manuscripts sound just like seminary - I remember reading an old liturgy book and tripping over every second word. Mariana, what do you think, will they reach digitization or will it remain on paper?

Даниела Димитрова

Yes, July 10 is really an easy date, especially after St. Peter's Day. I, on the other hand, think that hands-on icon restoration classes would be great - just like in seminary, brush and glue in hand. And for singing, Ivan, will they also include preparation of troparies for holidays, or only a theoretical part?

Методи Попов

Yes, Daniela, July 10 passes easily after Saint Peter's Day, without much tension. Hands-on icon classes sound good - I've seen the boys in the seminary do well with the brush and glue, it gets real work. For troparists, however, I wonder if it would not be more useful to begin with the simple ones sung at vespers, rather than jumping straight to the complex ones.

Анастасия Морозова

Sofia, my son’s acquaintances from the Russian State University for the Humanities in Minsk also complained about the same short course on church history - as if they had ticked a box. I hope that now things will go beyond lectures, otherwise without depth there will still be a formality. What does your son-in-law think about this agreement now?

Красимира Петрова

Yes, Daniela, hands-on icon classes would be really helpful – my older son tried to patch a crack in an old icon last year at camp and said it was harder than it looked. For troparists, I think it's good to start with a practical one, especially for major holidays like Christmas or Easter. Would you teach such a course in the seminary?

Христо Димитров

Yes, patching cracks is just like that - you look at it from the outside and think it's easy, and then you spend half an hour trying not to spoil the paint. I would also add some practice with the troparies live, especially at Christmas, because the children sing them faster when they are associated with the icon. Krasimira, is your son still into icons or has he moved on to something else?

Борис Николов

Yes, Daniela, just after St. Peter's Day one has more strength for such things. The practice with the icons is useful, my younger son in the seminary learned to clean old boards and then he became more interested in the church. And for the tropars - wouldn't it be good to start with those for the saints, which we sing often on Sundays?

Васил Стефанов

Yes, Methodi, I have also watched how the boys in the seminary glue the icons - they really turn out nice, especially if they are given time to take their time. For the tropars, I think you are right, it is better to start with those of "Lord, I cried" from the vespers, they are simpler and easier to sing. And what troper did you first learn in your time?

Георги Петров

Yes, Krasimira, patching cracks does require patience – my son-in-law tried to patch up an old icon from my grandmother last spring and said the same thing. For the nativity tropars, practice with the icon is a good idea, but I would also add a brief explanation of why this particular tropar is sung in a certain voice. What do you think, should we include some live church singing in such a course?

Георги Петров

Yes, Krasimira, hands-on classes with icons really open children's eyes - my girl at the university last year told me that after trying to clean an old icon, she now looks more carefully at church ones too. For the Resurrection troparies, I also agree that it is better to start with a practice, but wouldn't it be more useful in the seminary to also connect them to a horticultural element, such as how to plant flowers for the feast?

Методи Попов

Yes, that's how it is with gluing - it looks simple from the outside, and then you spend the whole afternoon cleaning the brush and it still doesn't work like people do. Christo, you have well thought of the troparion with the icons, especially for Nativity. My brother-in-law took the kids from Sunday school last year and said the same thing - connecting them to the picture makes it easier to sing. Krasimira, is your son still painting icons or has he already moved on to something else?

Кирил Стоянов

Yes, George, your brother-in-law with the icon is right - gluing does require a lot of patience, especially when it's as old as your grandmother's. The brief explanation of the voice of the tropar seems useful to me, but I would also add a word or two about the feast itself, so that it does not remain merely technical. And for the live singing - I think it will be good, as long as it's not too long so that people don't get tired.

Христо Василев

Yes, Georgi, cleaning an icon really changes the look - my older girl told me the same thing after helping in the church last spring. For Resurrection troparists, practice is key, but the horticultural element in the seminary sounds good, especially if linked to Easter flowers. What do you think, should they include fishing as a metaphor for "hunting souls"? 😊

Росица Стефанова

Yes, Christ, cleaning icons is really an eye-opener - my daughter told me the same thing when she was little, after she helped me with an old icon from Plovdiv. About fishing as a metaphor, I'm not sure it would fit the seminary though, better to stick to the garden and the flowers for Easter, they are more practical. What do you think, would your girls be involved in such a thing?

Николай Костов

Yes, Rositsa, cleaning icons really does make children look more closely - my daughter helped me with one of the houses last year and then spent a week asking about the paints. I agree with you about the fishing, better to stick to the garden and the flowers, especially for Easter. My girls would definitely be into it if there were some sweets afterwards, what do you think?

Мариана Петкова

Yes, Rositsa, cleaning icons from Plovdiv really makes children think - my son helped me with one from Varna as a child and then spent the whole evening asking me about the gold on it. I totally agree about the garden and flowers for Easter, it's more useful than fishing. My girls would probably get involved if we showed them how to do it with a brush and a soft cloth.

Румяна Петрова

Yes, Mariana, and my grandson from Varna once helped me clean a small icon with a brush and then for a whole week he asked me why the gold does not come off with water. With your girls, try a soft cloth as you say - it's safer for their hands. And about the garden instead of fishing, I completely agree, flowers for Easter are remembered longer.

Десислава Илиева

Yes, Nikolai, cleaning icons really opens children's eyes - my daughter, when she was 12 years old, helped me brush an old icon from the Troyan monastery and then spent the whole evening asking me about tempera paints. I agree with the fishing, it's better to stay with the flowers and the garden, especially around Easter. And for sweets - if we add some Turkish delight after that, my nieces will surely come too, what do you say?

Виолета Попова

Yes, Desislava, tempera paints really arouse curiosity - my 10-year-old son helped me clean the icons in the church last year, and then spent a week painting with watercolors at home. Turkish delight is a good idea, especially if it comes with a rose, your nieces will come too. And what kind of lokum do you prefer, Turkish or ours?

Борис Петров

Yes, Rosice, cleaning icons from Plovdiv really makes children think about the details. Last spring, my 5-year-old daughter helped me wash an old icon from the garage, and then spent the whole evening asking me why the paint was peeling. About the garden and flowers for Easter I agree, it's more practical, but would your girls be involved in something like mending the church fence?