Defense of Final Qualification Theses Held at the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary

June 19, 2026 – Alma-Ata. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary held the defense of final qualification theses by fourth-year full-time and correspondence students.

The Graduation Attestation Commission was chaired by the Rector of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary, Candidate of Theology Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.

The commission included: Vice-Rector for Student Affairs 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 Biblical and Theological Department, Candidate of Theology Priest Oleg Lisin; Head of the Church History Department Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya; Head of the Church Practical Department, Candidate of Theology Priest Vladislav Pashkov; Head of the Metropolitan District Public Relations Department, Dean of Ascension Cathedral, and Research Fellow of the Seminary Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; Secretary of the Church History Department and Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District Priest Georgy Sidorov; Head of the Correspondence Department Priest Daniil Bobylev; Head of the Seminary Chancellery Priest Alexander Shishlov; Lecturer of the Biblical and Theological Department Hegumen Philip (Moiseyev); lecturers of the Church Practical Department Hieromonk Isaac (Istelyuyev), Priest Kirill Gromov, and G.A. Zhevlakov; lecturer of the Church History Department Priest Kirill Freygang; and Research Fellow of the Church History Department Priest Mikhail Berezin.

Those gathered offered prayers before the beginning of the good work, after which Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov welcomed the faculty and students and conveyed to those present the blessing of the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

Following the students’ presentations, the Attestation Commission held a meeting and announced the results of the defenses. The faculty members noted the high quality of the theses presented and their relevance at the present stage of the Church’s development.

On behalf of the commission members, Rector Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov expressed gratitude to the faculty for their dedicated labors and congratulated the graduates and their academic supervisors on the successful defense of their theses.

At the conclusion of the event, a group photograph was taken.