On December 24, 2025, in Alma-Ata, with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the defense of final qualifying works by fourth-year students of the correspondence department of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary took plac

The graduation attestation commission was chaired by the Rector of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary, Candidate of Theology Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.

The working group included: Vice-Rector for Pastoral Formation 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 Department of Church History Archpriest Alexander Gaychenya; Head of the Department of Church-Practical Disciplines, Candidate of Theology Priest Vladislav Pashkov; Head of the Correspondence Department Priest Daniil Bobylev; Head of the Seminary Chancellery Priest Alexander Shishlov; Inspector of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary Priest Evgeny Bessonov; Lecturer of the Department of Church History Priest Kirill Freygang; and Secretary of the Department of Church History Priest Kirill Konoplev.

Those gathered offered a prayer before the beginning of the event, after which Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov greeted the teaching staff and students and conveyed to those present the blessing of the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

After the students’ presentations, a meeting of the attestation commission was held and the results of the defenses were announced. Members of the Academic Council noted the high quality of the submitted diploma works and their relevance at the present stage of the Church’s development.

The Rector of the Alma-Ata Seminary thanked the teaching staff for their labors and also congratulated the graduates and their academic supervisors on the successful defense of the final qualifying works.