November 16, 2024. Almaty. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, an international scientific conference titled “Eastern Christianity on the Silk Road (in memory of P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky)” will be held in the throne hall of the spiritual, cultural, and administrative center named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov).
The scientific forum is being conducted as part of the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana and Almaty Diocese and the 15th anniversary of the canonical status of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.
The purpose of the conference is to present and discuss the results of scientific research dedicated to the history of Christianity during the Middle Ages in Central Asia.
The event is organized by the Department of Public Relations of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, the Bible Society of Kazakhstan, the Bible Society of Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Geographical Society, the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Margulan (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan), and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography named after B. Dzhangarchinov of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The conference was led by the Acting Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Archpriest Yevgeny Ivanov.
The participants of the forum included: Vice-Rector for Educational Work Priest Ioann Livinsky, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Priest Peter Bakhtiyarov, Vice-Rector for Scientific Work, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences A.P. Solovyov; Head of the Public Relations Department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Cathedral Dean Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; Head of the Church History Department Archpriest Alexander Gaychenya, Head of the Department of Education and Catechesis of the Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan Diocese Archpriest Andrey Kunavin; Inspector of the Almaty Theological Seminary Priest Yevgeny Bessonov, Head of the Department of Culture of the Metropolitan District and Head of the Conductors’ Department of APTS L.E. Gorycheva; Member of the Moscow Branch of the Russian Geographical Society, Master of Humanities, Local Historian V.V. Rudenko; PhD Doctoral Candidate, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Margulan of Almaty B.A. Zheleznyakov; Senior Researcher of the Institute of History, Archaeology, and Ethnology named after B. Dzhangarchinov of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Researcher at the National Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic V.A. Kolchenko; Archaeologist, Architect, Specialist in Ancient Architecture, Researcher at LLP “RUTRUM” D.V. Sorokin; Candidate of Historical Sciences, PhD, Head of the Department of Archaeology at the State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky O.T. Dospanov; Art Historian, PhD Doctoral Candidate, Researcher at the Institute of Art Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent E.V. Potorochina; Candidate of Historical Sciences A.M. Kamyshev, leaders and staff members of the Bible Society branches from Kazakhstan and abroad; lecturers and students of the Almaty Bible Institute; lecturers and students of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, leaders of ethnocultural and public organizations, representatives of the academic community, and religious scholars.
Opening the plenary session, Archpriest Yevgeny Ivanov congratulated the attendees on the start of the conference, noting its historical and spiritual significance. The rector of the theological school read a greeting address from Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan to the forum participants.
The Head of the Department of Education and Catechesis of the Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan Diocese, Archpriest Andrey Kunavin, conveyed the greetings of Bishop Savvaty, the head of the diocese.
The Executive Director of the Bible Society of Kazakhstan, V.I. Grishko, delivered words of welcome to those gathered.
The following reports were presented at the plenary session:
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“Pyotr Petrovich Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, Founder of Historical-Geographical Studies of Ancient Eastern Christianity on the Silk Road” – Member of the Moscow Branch of the Russian Geographical Society, Master of Humanities, Local Historian V.V. Rudenko;
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“Ancient Christianity in Southern Kazakhstan Based on Historical and Archaeological Sources” – PhD Doctoral Candidate, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Margulan of Almaty B.A. Zheleznyakov;
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“Monuments of Christianity at the Medieval Settlement of Krasnaya Rechka (Novoket), Kyrgyzstan” – Senior Researcher of the Institute of History, Archaeology, and Ethnology named after B. Dzhangarchinov of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Researcher at the National Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic V.A. Kolchenko;
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“Preliminary Results of Archaeological Research on Medieval Christian Monuments ‘Suleyman-Tepe’ (Uzbekistan) and ‘Ilibalyk’ (Kazakhstan)” – Archaeologist, Architect, Specialist in Ancient Architecture, Researcher at LLP “RUTRUM” D.V. Sorokin;
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“Peoples of the Aral Sea Region and the Christian World” – Candidate of Historical Sciences, PhD, Head of the Department of Archaeology at the State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky O.T. Dospanov;
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“Following the Traces of Medieval Christianity in Elak, the Left Bank of the Syr Darya, Tashkent Region” – Art Historian, PhD Doctoral Candidate, Researcher at the Institute of Art Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent E.V. Potorochina;
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“The Diversity of Ancient Christian Symbolism Discovered in Kyrgyzstan” – Candidate of Historical Sciences A.M. Kamyshev.
Following the presentations, the attendees discussed the proposed reports, after which a discussion on the topics took place. At the conclusion of the scientific forum, a group photo was taken. Media coverage of the conference was provided by the Semirechye TV studio (director – honored cultural worker V.L. Posadneva, operator A. Schmidt); photography was carried out by Information Department staff member A. Shcheglov.
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