Patriarch Kirill Congratulates Theological Schools on New Academic Year

Ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ congratulated the rectors, teachers, and students of the Russian Orthodox Church’s theological schools.

To rectors, teachers, mentors and students of higher theological educational institutions

Your Graces, Archpastors, All-Reverend Fathers, Venerable Teachers and Mentors, Dear Brothers and Sisters!

I sincerely congratulate you all on the beginning of the new academic year.

Theological academies and seminaries, Orthodox universities and institutes are called to be not only a center of knowledge and scholarly inquiry, but also a fertile environment for the comprehensive and moral education of future ministers and workers of the Church of Christ. The Holy Fathers consistently emphasized the interconnectedness of true theology and pious life, prayer and repentance, which are called to facilitate spiritual growth and, therefore, the attainment of life's primary goal—salvation.

Along with the proper mastery of the core disciplines traditionally included in the curriculum, special attention today must be paid to the challenges facing both the Russian Church and modern civilization. And, alas, there are many. These include attempts to rewrite or reinterpret history, the danger of the uncontrolled development of artificial intelligence, questions of bioethics, and new possibilities in medicine. Our task is to find and formulate correct and adequate responses to these and other problems of our time. I call upon each of you to be sober and vigilant (1 Pet. 5:8), to do all things without grumbling and doubting (Phil. 2:14), so that, in the words of St. John Chrysostom, you may be very prudent and experienced in many things, having no less knowledge of all worldly things than those who live in the world (Sixth Homily: On the Priesthood), bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10).

God's blessing be with you all.

+KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUS'