№ 8. Составленное Митрополитом Филаретом положение о занятиях и содержании воспитанников, окончивших Богословское учение

(No earlier than 1830 and no later than 1834) In the 5th paragraph of the State Council’s regulations on the teaching of greater methods for the education of spiritual youth, Supremely approved on the 6th day of December 1829, it is written: “Since those who have completed seminary teaching do not suddenly enter priestly positions, but often remain waiting for a vacancy, so that during this time they do not remain without supervision and guidance, and on the contrary, so that they can more accurately use this time for the further education of themselves and for preparation for their future ministry, make an order so that those who have completed the seminary training course should be on the seminary lists and belong to the department of the seminaries until they are actually assigned to priestly positions, so that during this time they are engaged in repeated listening to theological teaching, reading the writings of the Holy Fathers and other books guiding their future ministry, writings, translations and preaching the Word of God, and so that the poorest of them benefit from the contents of seminaries." The Commission of Theological Schools, having informed the educational institutions under its jurisdiction about this resolution, demanded an opinion from the seminary boards. After considering the opinions presented by the seminary boards, the Commission of Theological Schools considered it useful to establish general rules on this subject, which were drawn up by His Eminence Philaret. Regulations on those who have completed theological studies. 1) Each seminary board shall contain a special complete list of students who have completed the seminary course, according to which the board shall have them under its jurisdiction until assignment to places. 2) Those who have a special need due to poverty, or promise a special benefit, should be placed at the seminary and supported by the school’s residual funds. 3) Others, also due to poverty, can be placed for residence, and partly for maintenance, in monasteries or at Bishops' houses, depending on the convenience and methods of these places. 4) Others can live with parents, relatives and in other houses that do not pose any danger to the purity of morals. 5) Those who, due to the poverty of their parents, rural or non-resident, and other circumstances, cannot live in the diocesan city, are allowed to live outside it, with families of clergy, so that at the place of residence they declare themselves dean, who are obliged to give evidence of their behavior in the statements of churches and parishes, and so that once or twice a year they appear to the seminary authorities at the time appointed for them, for reporting in their studies. 6) Homework for those preparing for church services may be as follows: a) Reading of the Holy Scriptures, accompanied by interpretative comments on it, extracted from the writings of the Holy Fathers and other thorough interpreters. b) Reading the Scriptures of the Holy Fathers, with an extract from those places that are especially worthy of note and necessary for guidance, or with a detailed analysis of some works of this kind. c) Reading Church history and the lives of the Saints, writing out what is especially noteworthy and edifying, and partly adding the reader’s own thoughts. d) Reading liturgical and interpretative books for divine services, with notes related to the understanding of the various parts and accessories thereof. e) Reading the Helmsman’s Book and writing out the most necessary rules for the clergy, with feasible reflections on the basis, purpose and mutual union of these rules. f) Reading books about schisms that arose in the Russian Church or crept into Russia from Hinduism, and writing denunciations of various erroneous opinions with evidence of the true teaching. g) Composing sermons for delivery in church with the approval of the rector of the seminary or the local dean or censor of clergy sermons. h) Translations of works related to edification in faith and morals from foreign languages ​​into Russian, or from Russian into any local language, for example in the Chisinau diocese into Moldavian. 7) Those living in the diocesan city can attend seminar lectures on those subjects in which they wish to further improve, mainly in the class of Theology. 8) These may be assigned the following positions: a) The position of lecturer in language classes. b) The position of head and home guidance of students to strengthen the instructions taught in the classes. c) The position of clerk under the Seminary Board. 9) When free from academic studies, they should go to church as often as possible, both in general for reverent activities, and especially to improve themselves in the knowledge of church reading, singing and rules. 10) Depending on local considerations, each seminary administration will appoint a certain time at which those who have completed seminary studies, but are not assigned to places, will report to it every year to report on their studies. At this time, it examines their transcripts, writings and translations, makes sure whether they spent the year usefully, in what part of knowledge they made new successes, whether they maintained the purity of morals and kindness of behavior corresponding to their purpose, and with the meaning of what turns out to be, it makes an inscription on each person’s certificate. Such inscriptions are accepted by the diocesan authorities when assigning places in consideration of the initial indications of success in the sciences and behavior in the certificates. 11) This provision, depending on local and other circumstances, should also be applied to students of Theological Academies who are undetermined for places of service. The Academy closest to the site must be under its jurisdiction; and those living in other dioceses, especially remote ones, can be included in the department of seminary boards. This regulation was approved by the Commission of Theological Schools and sent to all District Academic Boards for implementation on January 29, 1834. You might be interested in: