Entrance Examinations Held at the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary under the Chairmanship of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan

August 26, 2026. Entrance examinations were held at the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary.

The examination commission, chaired by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, included: Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, Rector of the Alma-Ata Seminary and Candidate of Theology; Archpriest Valery Zakharov, Dean of the Churches of Alma-Ata and Candidate of Theology; Priest Ioann Livinsky, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs; Priest Petr Bakhtiyarov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs; A.P. Solovyov, Vice-Rector for Research and Candidate of Philosophical Sciences; Priest Oleg Lisin, Head of the Department of Biblical and Theological Studies and Candidate of Theology; Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya, Head of the Department of Church History; Priest Vladislav Pashkov, Head of the Department of Church Practice and Candidate of Theology; Priest Daniil Bobylev, Head of the Correspondence Department; Priest Evgeny Bessonov, Inspector of the Seminary; Priest Alexander Shishlov, Head of the Seminary Chancery; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; and V.V. Dudareva, Head of the Choir Conducting Department and Choirmaster of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District Choir.

Applicants to the pastoral and choir conducting departments, who had arrived from dioceses of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, took a written examination in the Russian language and underwent a musical audition.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Head of the Metropolitan District addressed the faculty with words of greeting, after which Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov announced the agenda.

The admissions commission then interviewed the applicants. The candidates demonstrated their command of Church Slavonic, knowledge of the fundamentals of the Orthodox faith, and their ability to recite from memory morning and evening prayers, the troparia of the Twelve Great Feasts, and commonly used prayers.

Following the announcement of the examination results, His Eminence bestowed his archpastoral blessing upon the newly admitted students, spoke with them, and chaired a meeting of the Academic Council, at which current matters concerning the life of the Seminary were discussed.

Video coverage of the event was provided by the Semirechye television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District (Director – V.L. Posadneva, Honored Worker of Culture) and the staff of the Proobraz YouTube channel, with the support of the ELEOS-MEIRIM Public Foundation (Head – V.M. Kapsamun). Photographs were taken by A. Shcheglov.