SERGIEV POSAD, RUSSIA: October 19, 2020
The All-Russian Pokrovsky Academic-Theological Conference “Centennial of the ‘Russian Exodus’” (the Crimean Evacuation): 1920-2020” is held in Moscow Theological Academy

By the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia All-Russian Pokrovsky Academic-Theological Conference “Centennial of the ‘Russian Exodus’” (Crimean Evacuation): 1920-2020” was held at Moscow Theological Academy. As noted in his opening remarks, Rector of the school, His Grace Bishop Feodorit of Zvenigorod, this event continues the scholarly work of the MTA despite the restrictions caused by the coronavirus.

The lectures featured various aspects of life of the one Russian Orthodox Church both during the Civil War that preceded the Crimean Evacuation as well as the Russian diaspora. Deputy Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, His Grace Bishop Savva (Tutunov) of Zelenograd, in his lecture: “Church Life in the Russian Diaspora in the Journals of P.E. Kovalevsky,” stressed the danger of losing religious and national identity. His Grace Bishop Siluan (Nikitin) of Peterhof, Rector of St Petersburg Theological Academy, showed the example of the dynasty of priests which fled to Finland after the Kronstadt uprising, outlined their fate abroad.  Professor A.K. Svetozarsky, Acting Director of the Cathedra of Church History of the MTA, spoke about the life of the post-war repatriated hierarchs in the USSR. Deacon Andrei Psarev, Professor at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, delivered a speech on “The All-Russian Local Council as a Criterion for Collegiality in the Russian Ecclesiastical Emigration.” The historian demonstrated the difficulties in making conciliar decisions under conditions of the emigration.  

Dr N.Yu. Sukhova of the St Tikhon Orthodox State University told of the fate of two monks, Russian emigres, Archimandrite Kiprian (Kern) and the Benedictine Hieromonk Kliment (Lyalin), on the basis of correspondence in the school’s archives. Docent of the MTA, G.E. Kolyvanov, spoke on the research on seminaries in the south of Russia during the Civil War. Senior Instructor of the MTA, Protopriest Sergi Zabelich, told of the tragedy of the Russian Exodus in the work of I.S. Shmelev, “The Sun of the Dead.” Doctoral candidate of Church history, K.A. Murenets presented a biography of Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) during his service as Bishop chaplain in the White Army fleet.

The scholarly journals of the MTA will be publishing materials from this conference.

Press Service of the MTA.