The 25th Sebastian Educational Readings Took Place in Karaganda

On November 30, 2025, in Karaganda, with the blessing of Archbishop Sebastian of Karaganda and Shakhtinsk, the 25th Sebastian Readings were held in the conference hall of the Sunday school of the Exaltation of the Cross Church.

Under the chairmanship of the ruling hierarch of the Karaganda Diocese, the conference was attended by: the head of the Department for Public Relations, Hieromonk Moses (Patrikeev); dean of the Abai Church District, Archpriest Vladimir Freigang; heads of diocesan departments, deans, rectors and clergy of churches; the abbess of the Nativity of the Mother of God Convent of the mining capital, Igumena Olympiada (Salopeko) with the sisters of the monastery; staff of the diocesan administration; representatives of parish youth clubs and parishioners of city churches.

The event began with a common prayer, after which Archbishop Sebastian addressed those gathered with a welcoming word.

Then the head of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis, Archpriest Ahiya Rakhimzhanov, announced the procedural regulations and introduced the speakers.

The following reports were presented to the audience:

• “Science and Religion – Are There Contradictions?” by Archpriest Ahiya Rakhimzhanov
• “Natural Theology as an Experience of the Knowledge of God” by Hieromonk Moses (Patrikeev)
• “The Formation of a Christian Personality in the Work of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk ‘The Spiritual Treasure Gathered from the World’” by Priest Andrey Afanasyev

After the presentations, participants of the Sebastian Readings discussed the proposed papers and summed up the results of the conference.