Entrance Examinations Held at the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary Under the Chairmanship of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan

August 26, 2025. Entrance examinations were held at the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary.

The attestation committee, chaired by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, included: Vicar of the Astana Diocese Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan; Dean of the Almaty churches and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral Protopriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Seminary Protopriest Evgeny Ivanov; Vice-Rector for Educational Work Priest Ioann Livinsky; Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Priest Petr Bakhtiyarov; Vice-Rector for Research, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences A.P. Solovyov; Head of the Public Relations Department of the Metropolis and Cathedral Dean Protopriest Alexander Suvorov; Head of the Biblical-Theological Department, Candidate of Theology Priest Oleg Lisin; Head of the Church History Department Protopriest Alexander Gaychenya; Head of the Practical Theology Department Deacon Vladislav Pashkov; Head of the Correspondence Department Priest Daniil Bobylev; Head of the Seminary Office Priest Alexander Shishlov; Head of the Choir Conducting Department V.V. Dudareva.

Applicants to the pastoral and choir-conducting departments, who arrived from the dioceses of the Kazakhstan Metropolis, took a written exam in the Russian language and underwent a musical audition.

At the beginning of the session, the Head of the Metropolis addressed the faculty with welcoming remarks, after which Protopriest Evgeny Ivanov announced the agenda.

The admissions committee then conducted interviews with the applicants. The candidates demonstrated their knowledge of the Church Slavonic language, the fundamentals of the Orthodox faith, recited from memory morning and evening prayers, troparia of the Great Feasts, and commonly used prayers.

After the announcement of results, His Eminence gave his archpastoral blessing to the newly admitted students, spoke with the seminarians, and presided over a meeting of the Academic Council, where current issues of seminary life were discussed.