Master’s Diplomas of the Moscow Theological Academy Awarded to Clergy of the Kazakhstani Metropolitan District

On February 15, 2025, on the Feast of the Meeting of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, a graduation ceremony was held for students of the correspondence Bachelor’s and Master’s programs at the Moscow Theological Academy.

Bishop Kirill of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov presided over the Divine Liturgy in the Intercession Academic Church and led the formal diploma conferral ceremony.

Concelebrating with His Grace during the service were graduates of the correspondence Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in holy orders, among them Priest Georgy Sidorov, Priest Alexander Podkova, and Protodeacon Roman Golovin.

Following the Liturgy, Bishop Kirill delivered words of congratulation to the gathered clergy and students, after which a formal awarding ceremony took place.

The Master’s diplomas were formally awarded to clergy of the Kazakhstani Metropolitan District: Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Metropolitan District; Priest Alexander Podkova, Rector of Archangel Michael Cathedral in Karaganda; and Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service.

The topics of their master’s dissertations were as follows: “The Homiletic Legacy of Archbishop Sofony (Sokolsky) of Turkestan and Tashkent” – Priest Georgy Sidorov. “The Archangel Michael Cathedral in Karaganda: History of the Church and Parish” – Priest Alexander Podkova. “Church Life in Semirechye in the Early 20th Century Based on Materials from the ‘Turkestan Diocesan Gazette’” – Protodeacon Roman Golovin.

In a gesture of gratitude, Priest Georgy Sidorov, on behalf of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, presented an icon of the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan containing relics of the saints to the Intercession Academic Church.

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander, congratulated the clergy on their successful thesis defenses and completion of their studies at the Moscow Theological Academy.