International Online Quiz Competition “Holy Mount Athos” Held

On November 1, 2026, with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the Commission for Educational Ministry of the Astana Diocese held an international online quiz competition dedicated to Holy Mount Athos.

The intellectual competition brought together teams of schoolchildren and students from Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Germany, and Latvia. A total of 21 teams participated in the event: 15 representing Sunday schools, general education schools, and Orthodox gymnasiums, and six representing parish youth clubs.

The online quiz competition is a team-based contest in which participants solve a series of tasks. All participating teams are presented with the same questions simultaneously and in a strictly prescribed order, and must provide the correct answers. The online quiz is limited to 45 minutes.

The competition is divided into two categories: Sunday schools (participants under the age of 17) and youth clubs (participants over the age of 17).

The quiz included questions testing participants’ knowledge of the history and liturgical traditions of the monasteries of Holy Mount Athos.

Following the competition, the following teams were named winners and prize-winners.

Sunday Schools Category

First Place

“Faith, Hope, and Love” (Iveron-Seraphim Cathedral, Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan)

“Merry Little Train” (St. Vladimir’s Church, Chemolgan Station, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan)

“Seeds of Faith” (Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, Kerch, Republic of Crimea)

Radonezh” (Church of All Saints, Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan) - overall winner

“My Joy” (Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, Baikent, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan)

“Little Radonezh” (Church of All Saints, Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan)

“Guiding Star” (Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul, Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan)

Second Place

“Little Rays” (St. Nicholas Church, Tonshayevo, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Russia)

“Pure in Heart” (Tashkent, Uzbekistan)

“Crystal” (Church of St. Prince Vladimir, Aktobe, Kazakhstan)

“Youths” (Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, Rezekne, Latvia)

“Peresvet” (Combined Sunday School Team, Bryansk, Russia)

Third Place

“Goodwill Helpers” (Central Sunday School, Almaty, Kazakhstan)

“Krutogortsy” (Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, Dzerzhinsk, Belarus)

“Sunday School” (Holy Trinity Church, Tekeli, Zhetysu Region, Kazakhstan)

Youth Clubs Category

First Place

“Scythian” (Iveron-Seraphim Cathedral, Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan)

“Orthodox Bremen” (Church of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, Bremen, Germany)

“None but Us” (Church of the Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus, Tula, Russia)

“Guiding Star” (Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul, Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan)

Second Place

“Agape” (Church of the Archangel Michael, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan)

“Byzantium” (Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Almaty, Kazakhstan)

The next mini online quiz competition, entitled “Etiquette for Every Occasion,” will take place on November 22, 2026. Questions from the intellectual competition are available on the Orthodox Online Quiz Competition website.