Your Reverence, Father Gennady!
Venerable fathers, dear brothers and sisters!
I greet the organizers and participants of the IV International Theological and Academic Conference “Timonov Readings.”
In 2025, the Orthodox world marks a special date — the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. This event, along with the issuance of the Edict of Milan in 313, became a pivotal milestone in the life of the Holy Church, marking the beginning of a new era in Christian history — one characterized by the rapid spread of the Gospel truth across the Roman Empire. Following the Council in Nicaea, the golden age of patristic literature began — a time of flourishing theological thought. The Church’s external stability allowed for its free and comprehensive development, while the struggle against heresies provided rich material for intellectual labor. The Fathers and Teachers of that time, with their profound theological works, remain guiding stars for all generations of Orthodox Christians.
The First Ecumenical Council, convened shortly after the era of persecution, was the first representative gathering of hierarchs of its kind, many of whom had suffered for Christ under Emperors Diocletian and Maximin, enduring imprisonment and exile. In a hymn dedicated to the Council of Nicaea, it is sung: “Gathering all the skill of the soul, together with the Divine Spirit conducting the inquiry, the heavenly and sacred Symbol of Faith was inscribed by the God-inspired writings of the venerable Fathers.” At the First Ecumenical Council, the faith in the Holy Trinity was formulated in the very terms in which it has been preserved in the Church of Christ through all subsequent centuries. The Nicene Creed, which begins with the words “I believe in one God” and presents Orthodox Trinitarian doctrine, became a classical expression of theological truth. Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great, who served as honorary chairman of the Council and was the initiator of its convocation, remarked on the Council’s acts as a special manifestation of Divine wisdom: “What was unanimously acknowledged by the three hundred holy bishops is nothing else but the thought of the very Son of God, especially when in the minds of so many and great men the Holy Spirit was present, revealing to them the Divine will.”
The theological legacy of the Council of Nicaea, and its place in the history of the Church and of Christian nations, has never ceased to be the subject of deep reflection throughout the ages. In our time, the acts of the First Ecumenical Council are at the center of attention not only for professional historians and theologians but also for a wide range of interested people. Questions of doctrine, the institutional development of the Church, the formation of its canonical structure and liturgical traditions, the establishment of the Christian calendar system, and church-state relations — all these and other topics find expression in numerous scholarly works, conferences, and round tables. The importance of careful and consistent study of past events was concisely articulated by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ in his address on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council: “In the history of the Church, the Holy Spirit lives and acts, guiding us into all truth (John 16:13). That is why the study of Church history — which I strongly urge upon you — helps us to better understand many phenomena in contemporary religious life, teaches us to distinguish the essential from the secondary, and to discern the spirits (1 Cor. 12:10), comprehending the wise Providence of God for His Church.”
We well remember the apostolic exhortation: “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct” (Heb. 13:7). It is our sacred duty to remember and honor the holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council and to steadfastly follow the Orthodox faith they handed down to us. They passed on to us absolute theological truths — unclouded and free from human inventions and delusions.
This year also marks a significant date in the life of the Kostanay Eparchy — the 15th anniversary of its establishment. This decision of the Holy Synod was the realization of a long-standing idea to establish an independent eparchy in this generous and blessed region — a proposal first made in the early 20th century. Before the tragic events of 1917, there were more than 140 Orthodox churches and two monasteries in the Kustanay Uyezd. The development of church life led to the creation of the Kustanay Vicariate in 1914. Among the hierarchs who labored on this land during times of historical upheaval, the Most Reverend Bishop Timon (Rusanov) holds an undoubtedly prominent place. Exactly 100 years ago — on August 10, 1925 — his episcopal consecration took place, marking the beginning of the final period of his confessor’s ministry. The annual Timonov Readings, which gather participants not only from various regions of Kazakhstan but also from abroad, are our humble contribution to perpetuating his memory and, perhaps even more importantly, to continuing his spiritual and educational mission.
The time we live in cannot be called easy, either spiritually or materially. Yet today, despite the challenges we face, we have great opportunities to preach the Gospel and carry out spiritual and educational work with youth and with people of all ages. “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16), the Apostle Paul teaches us. We possess the greatest spiritual treasures and must generously share them, cultivating the ability to communicate the beauty and majesty of Orthodoxy to seeking souls.
I wish the organizers and participants of the Timonov Readings fruitful and successful work.
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