The V International Conference «Christian Heritage of the East»

Studying of the Christian East was resumed in Russia in the 1990s and is characterized by an increasing attention from the scientific community. Modern science involves experience exchange at the various seminars, conferences, workshops etc. The V International Conference of the MThA Oriental Studies Cabinet (headed by Deacon S. Panteleev) gathered scientists from Russia, Georgia and Canada.

It was aimed to create a welcoming atmosphere for informal communication between scientists studying of the Christian East from various fields and interests. Report topics given on October 31, 2023 show a wide variety of discussed issues:

• A.A. Rogozhina (Higher School of Economics Research University, Moscow) - “Old Testament images in the Great Canon of Andrey of Croatia and in the “Book of Sorrowful Hymns” by Grigor Narekatsi”;

• N.G. Golovnina (Orthodox St. Tikhon’s Humanitarian University, Moscow) - “Biblical exegesis in Coptic monastic texts”;

• A.V. Muravyov (Higher School of Economics Research University, Moscow) - “The Gospel in the Harcleana version in Moscow. Lost and found";

• P.A. Kuzminykh (an independent researcher, Yekaterinburg) - “The Lord’s Prayer as a marker of confessional identity in Arabic-speaking Christian communities”;

• K.A. Panchenko (Institute of Asian and African Studies, Moscow State University, Moscow) - “Orthodox Arabs in the Samtskhe Mountains: on the history of Georgian-Antioch contacts at the end of the XV century”;

• A.A. Voitenko (Center for Egyptological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow) - “Study of the veneration of saints in Christian Antiquity: stages and methods”;

• M.M. Bernatsky (Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University, Moscow) - “Interpretation of the epiclesis in the text of the Divine Liturgy in Greco-Latin and Armenian-Latin contacts of the XIV-XV centuries”;

• Deacon S. Kozhukhov (Moscow Theological Academy, Sergiev Posad) - “The terms “essence”, “hypostasis”, “nature” in Sevier of Antioch as philosophical categories”;

• Deacon N. Shablevsky (Moscow Theological Academy, Sergiev Posad) - “Who should call Him Emmanuel? Syriac translations of Isa. 7, 14b and Matt. 1, 23 in the light of ancient textual evidence";

• Priest A. Trager (Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada) - “The Influence of St. Maximus the Confessor on the mystical-ascetic treatise “Smart Paradise”;

• E.V. Palamarenko (Moscow State University of Technology and Management named after K.G. Razumovsky, Moscow) - “Peculiarities of the situation of the property complex of the Orthodox Palestinian Society in Jerusalem during the period of the British Mandate in Palestine”;

• N. A. Semenchenko (Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow) - “The contribution of Russian pilgrimage to the development of the Holy City and the reflection of the Holy Land in Russian creative culture”;

• Hierodeacon Georgy (Ramazyan) (Moscow Theological Academy, Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Sergiev Posad) - “The Armenian Church in Transcaucasia in the XVII century: the beginning of its pro-Russian orientation”;

• E.A. Yasoyan (Russian State Humanitarian University, Moscow) - “The influence of the sources of canon law of the Armenian Apostolic Church on the formation of national legislation”;

• E.T. Kopot’ (Moscow Pedagogical State University, Moscow) - “The role of educational institutions in Russian-Antiochian relations in the late XIX - mid-XX centuries”;

• E.V. Smirnova (Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow) - “Inspectors and teachers of male schools of the IOPS: organization of educational institutions and professional interaction”;

• E.Yu. Kovalskaya (Central Scientific Center “Orthodox Encyclopedia”, Moscow) - “The unfulfilled dream of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna: on the issue of the project of the Russian presence in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (1912–1917).”

Nowadays, the Christian East is not a museum exhibit, but a living tradition. The “Christian Heritage of the East” conference had also an intention to let the Eastern tradition speak itself. In this regard, it is necessary to note the participation of Protopresbyter Georgiy Zviadadze, Rector of the Tbilisi Theological Academy, and its teacher, Archpriest Bidzina Gunia:

• Protopresbyter Georgy Zviadadze - “Ancient Georgian translations and editions of the Holy Scriptures”;

• Archpriest Bidzina Gunia - “Old style or calendar reform.”

Results of a scientific conference have an important practical significance, which was mentioned Bishop Kirill, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy:

“The researchers of the Christian East gathered modern scientists. Their work seems to be far from those powerful historical and political processes that took place and are taking place in the Middle East and neighboring countries. However, it is the duty of modern science to preserve the history and culture of the Christian East. Your scientific researches help Christians of the East to live in this turbulent region and co-exist with religions. Scientists and librarians can give answers to many controversial questions. The path to truth lies through impartial discovery, study, preservation of the heritage and its multiplication in the future. 

It is a well-known fact that the Christians of the East are separated. Even Churches of the East that are formally united on doctrinal issues do not keep in touch in reality. Those problems are threatening to the very existence of Christianity. Let’s hope that scientific studies will discover some common basis to bring Eastern Christians closer together. After all, no dialogue in this area is possible without thorough research of a historical, liturgical and theological matters.

MThA Press Office