How to become an archpriest. Obedience school, or Where do they train to become priests? Probably, every person has faced the question of the meaning of his own life - at some point more acutely, at others less so. But it is precisely on the solution of this issue that the direction of the

For some people, serving God is main goal in life. They are happy to give their all in order to achieve deep spirituality. It is these people who most often ask the question: “How to become a priest?” Indeed, thanks to this profession, a person can not only get closer to the Almighty, but also help others see his light.

So, let's take a closer look at how one becomes a priest. What skills are needed for this? Who can apply for this rank? And why do only a few remain faithful to God until the end of their lives?

It’s worth starting with a slightly rhetorical introduction. The work of a priest is a calling, not a way to get rich. Naturally, there are those who want to use the priesthood for selfish purposes. But these people will definitely get what they deserve, because God sees everything. Including the sinful thoughts of man.

Basically, those who want to serve the Lord become priests. For such people, worldly life is secondary. Its benefits and temptations do not bother them, since it is much more important for them to convey the word of God to people. However, to begin preaching, it is not enough to have faith in the Lord alone.

Requirements for future clergy

In Orthodoxy, only a man can become a priest of the church. To do this, he needs to graduate from theological seminary. Studying there is free, but everyone who wants to enroll there must meet the following requirements:

Firstly, there is age restrictions. Men from 18 to 35 years old can enroll in the full-time department of the seminary. Extramural raises the upper threshold to 55 years, but at the same time significantly complicates the learning process itself.
Secondly, you must have a certificate confirming your complete secondary education. School grades do not play a special role, but a person must be able to write and read correctly.
Thirdly, the decisive factor may be the man’s marital status. According to Orthodox canons, a priest can only marry once. Therefore, he cannot enter into remarriages, nor can he marry a widow or divorcee.

Another important detail is a letter of recommendation from the parish priest. In it, the mentor reports on the achievements of his mentee. For example, it may say that the novice participated in all services, sang in the choir, rang the church bell, and so on.

Preliminary preparation

For those who are thinking about how to become Orthodox priest, There is little advice: Start preparing for seminary a few years ahead of time. This must be done for the following reasons.

As stated earlier, all applicants are required to have a letter of recommendation. No self-respecting priest would give such a document to the first person he met. You should be prepared to have to prove the strength of your faith. To do this, it is necessary to work for the benefit of the church, unquestioningly following all the instructions of the parish pastor.

Besides, how to become a priest without having the necessary knowledge? Naturally, you will learn a lot in seminary. But a person himself must reach out to the light of knowledge. First you need to read the Old and New Testament, and also get acquainted with the history of the Orthodox world. After all, this is the minimum without which not a single Orthodox person can exist.

What to expect during the exams?

Theological seminary is in many ways similar to other educational institutions. Exams here are held at the end of summer, about a month before the start school year. They are accepted by a special commission, which consists of seminary teachers. There are written and oral exams.

The first thing applicants are asked are questions about stories from the Bible. This helps to understand how well a person navigates the Holy Scriptures. If the answers satisfy them, then another series of questions follows, touching on the main prayers and psalms.

Everyone who passes oral part, are allowed to take the second exam. Here you will need to write an essay on the topic proposed by the commission. Most often people are asked to express their attitude to certain biblical events. However, you should also be prepared for the fact that you may be asked to describe the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Final stage of verification

It should be understood that successfully passing the exams does not guarantee admission to the theological seminary. After all, after an official knowledge test, all applicants undergo a final interview. Here, senior clergy determine the sincerity of the students' motives and their suitability for the role. And if one of the mentors decides that their ward is disingenuous with his heart, he will be immediately sent home.

Seminary studies

The seminary is the same university. There are many subjects and teachers here who will happily tell you how to become a priest. Naturally, the main emphasis will be on spiritual enlightenment. In particular, students will be taught the specifics of conducting sacraments, sacred rites and prayer services. Also, a lot of time will be devoted to the Old Church Slavonic language, which is considered the main language among the clergy.

It should be noted that all students are provided with free hostel accommodation. However, life in it imposes certain obligations. Young novices must follow a strict regime. They cannot violate it, much less ignore it. You will also have to forget about such things as alcohol, tobacco, television and the Internet.

Such spartan conditions will quickly teach one how to become a priest. Indeed, in the future, a person will have to independently protect himself from all kinds of temptations and temptations.

Division into white and black clergy

In the last year of seminary, the student must make the most responsible choice. He must decide which clergy he will belong to: white or black. It should be noted that this decision cannot be changed in the future.

The essence of the white clergy is that the priest reserves the right to marry. He can do this only once in his life. At the same time, there are a number of certain criteria that limit the circle of his potential partners. But what is more important is that a white priest cannot advance in rank beyond archpriest.

The same cannot be said about the black clergy - its adherents are capable of rising to the rank of bishop and higher. Therefore, at this stage, a person will have to choose between the opportunity to start a family and the highest clergy.

How to become a priest without seminary?

In truth, it is possible to obtain a position as a clergyman without an appropriate diploma. To do this, the shepherd needs to perform a special initiation ceremony. But this requires permission from the bishop, who is unlikely to give the go-ahead without a good reason. In addition, the lack of a theological seminary behind one’s background greatly limits one’s advancement in rank.

For general development, let's say that such dedications were relevant during the war. When every priest was worth his weight in gold, and the clergy simply did not have the time or opportunity to train them.

A priest is not just a profession, but a choice of a whole life path. Few are capable of it, because it requires not only certain knowledge and skills, but also a general disposition towards ordination, spirituality, responsibility and maturity. There are many common questions regarding church ministry. In particular, how to become a priest without a seminary? At what age can one choose such a profession? There are other questions, and all of them, without a doubt, require detailed and thorough answers. So let's find out how to become a priest, and who can devote themselves to serving the church.

Almost every man can devote himself to serving the church if he wishes. However, this path is not easy and requires great endurance and faith. Even before receiving theological education, a priest must show an inclination to serve, cultivate high moral qualities, tame his base and sinful aspirations and, of course, often attend church. It will be better if he studies church books and hymns in advance, becomes familiar with how the service is performed, and so on. This will greatly facilitate further learning.

Finding a profession and admission

Those who are wondering how to become a priest in Russia need to know certain rules. The primary task is to obtain an education at a theological seminary. Applicants must comply with the following rules:

age: from 18 to 35 years, male;

marital status: married for the first time or single;

After submitting all the required papers, the applicant undergoes an interview, during which the motives for admission, the sincerity of intentions, as well as the ability to correctly and coherently express their thoughts are assessed.

The entrance examination assesses knowledge of the Old and New Testaments, the Catechism and the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. In addition, applicants must pass a written exam - a presentation on a church-historical or biblical topic. Knowledge of basic prayers and chants, as well as vocal abilities, are tested. A mandatory requirement is the ability to read the Psalter in Church Slavonic.

How is the training going?

Those who are interested in how to become a priest should also know the conditions of study at the seminary. Entrance exams are held in August. Classes, as in other educational institutions, begin on the first of September. Studying in seminary is a tough test of faith and the correctness of the choice of life path. Strict discipline reigns in it, and not everyone can complete this stage.

Please note that students who come from other cities receive a place in a dormitory for all five years of study. Naturally, seminarians must strictly observe the rules of living there; in particular, they must spend nights in their room.

All students are provided with a scholarship. Young people who complete the training can expect to be ordained priests. This is possible only after going through confession and passing another exam. At the same time, we note that studying at a seminary does not guarantee obligatory ordination.

Parish priest or monk?

Before graduating from seminary, students must determine whether they intend to marry. This decision is very responsible, because it is no longer possible to change your marital status after initiation. So, the future minister of the church must either choose the path of a monk, who is forbidden to marry, or get married and become a parish priest. In this case, absolute monogamy is assumed not only from the man being ordained (he cannot divorce or remarry even if widowed), but also from his wife: she should not be a widow or divorced.

What happens after graduating from seminary?

Having completed their education, graduates are distributed among the parishes to which they are assigned. As the service progresses, it becomes possible to receive a new rank. The first level of the church hierarchy is the deacon. This is immediately followed by ordination. And the highest degree of priesthood is the rank of bishop. At the same time, those who want to know how to become a priest need to know one more detail.

Monks (those who choose celibacy) have more opportunities to move up in the church hierarchy. Only they have a chance to receive the rank of bishop and become a metropolitan, leading an entire diocese. In addition, the Patriarch is chosen exclusively from among the monks. If a graduate chooses the path of a married parish priest, he cannot rise above the archpriest in the position of rector.

Is it possible to become a priest without special spiritual education?

There is a question that interests many who want to devote themselves to the church. It goes like this: “Is it possible and how to become a priest without a seminary?” In fact, this is possible, but only if the head of his parish personally performs the dedication ceremony. It should be noted right away that receiving ordination in this way is practiced in very few churches. So you still can’t do without special theological education in a seminary. This is an indispensable condition for receiving rank.

Spiritual education in Belarus

For many, the important question is how to become a priest in Belarus. This country has a large number of appropriate institutions in which those wishing to devote themselves to the church can study. Let's try to list them. So, there are now three schools in Belarus, located in Minsk, Vitebsk and Slonim. In addition, there is a seminary and a theological academy in the capital. It is also necessary to mention the Institute of Theology at the Belarusian State University.

At the same time, only men with a higher theological education are accepted into the Academy. The future priest must be single or in his first marriage, and must be baptized. The Minsk seminary accepts both those with higher education and those with only secondary theological education. In addition, only those who have served in the army or are documented to be exempt from it can get here. Let us note that girls can also enroll in some departments of theological schools.

Thus, the choice of educational institutions is great, and here, too, everything is primarily determined by the sincerity of the motives and faith of the future clergyman.

What about Catholics?

Those who are interested in how to become a Catholic priest need to know some nuances. The path to serving in the church turns out to be even more difficult than is customary in Orthodoxy. The first difference is that in Catholicism there is no so-called white clergy. Thus, a priest cannot create a family. The training of future church ministers takes place in seminaries, which you can enter or after receiving higher education, or after graduating from high school.

In the first case, the training will take four years, in the second - eight. It is worth noting that a young man who wants to come to the seminary must already be a devout Catholic and actively participate in parish life for at least two years. Having completed his studies, the future priest must serve in the church as a deacon for six months and make sure that the chosen path is correct. After this time, the rite of ordination and appointment to a specific parish are performed.

Thus, the path of a Catholic pastor, although not in many ways, differs from how to become an Orthodox priest.

Age restrictions

As already mentioned in the article, only a man who is no younger than 18 and no older than 35 can enter the seminary, that is, after completing his studies, you can become a priest at 40 or earlier. However, some people begin to feel drawn to this calling much later than the established deadlines. They ask themselves: “Is it possible to become a priest in this case?”

An option for such people could be distance learning at a theological academy - where the age limit is up to 55 years. But there is one condition: the applicant must bear parochial obedience, and this must be documented. Even after admission, you must annually provide a reference from the place of obedience, and it must be certified by the ruling bishop.

In any case, the issue of priesthood after the established deadlines must be resolved on an individual basis.

How to become a priest's wife?

Many religious girls want to marry a priest. However, such a life is also a kind of calling, and not everyone is ready for it. But those who are still interested in how to become a priest’s wife need to know some details.

First of all, it is worth understanding that a young man studying at a theological seminary cannot meet people in the usual way, for example, by attending parties or concerts. The brides of future priests are usually girls from religious families who attend church or the regency class at the seminary. As we have already mentioned, the chosen one of the priest cannot be a widow or divorcee and, moreover, must be a virgin, however, like her fiancé. In this case, only the rector can give permission for a seminarian to get married.

By the way, certain requirements are also imposed on the profession of the future wife of a priest. She should not compromise her husband in any way. Previously, there was a regulation prohibiting church ministers from marrying actresses; this profession was considered unworthy.

Be that as it may, girls who want to join their destiny with a priest should be aware that this choice is fraught with certain difficulties. For example, a wife should follow her husband to any parish, even the most remote and poor one, and not complain that her husband pays much more attention to other people.

In addition, mother’s life often causes discussion among church parishioners; she is always in sight. Thus, this path involves high responsibility and requires great moral strength and endurance in order to be not just a companion, but also a support and reliable rear for your spouse.

Profession or calling?

Now we know how a person can become a priest. However, certain moral qualities should also be considered among the basic requirements: fortitude, patience, the desire to help in word and deed, love for people. Those who wish to become priests must be prepared to live according to special canons, to voluntarily renounce many joys and pleasures.

Not everyone is ready for such steps. And they must be done solely at the behest of the heart, only then does this path become truly righteous and good. And then the question of how to become a priest and how difficult it is fades into the background. And the desire to adequately prove oneself in this difficult field becomes paramount. Thus, the priesthood is not primarily a profession, but a vocation and choice that determines a person’s entire life.

Who can become a priest?

Finding a profession and admission

Those who are wondering how to become a priest in Russia need to know certain rules. The primary task is to obtain an education that must comply with the following rules:

age: from 18 to 35 years, male;

marital status: married for the first time or single;

The entrance examination assesses knowledge of the Old Testament and the Catechism and the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. In addition, applicants must pass a written exam - a presentation on a church-historical or biblical topic. Knowledge of basic prayers and chants, as well as vocal abilities, are tested. A mandatory requirement is the ability to read the Psalter in Church Slavonic.

How is the training going?

Those who are interested in how to become a priest should also know the conditions of study at the seminary. Entrance exams are held in August. Classes, as in other educational institutions, begin on the first of September. Studying at a seminary is a tough test of faith and the correctness of your choice of life path. Strict discipline reigns in it, and not everyone can complete this stage.

Parish priest or monk?

What happens after graduating from seminary?

Is it possible to become a priest without special spiritual education?

in Belarus

For many, the important question is how to become a priest in Belarus. In this country there are a large number of relevant institutions where those who wish to devote themselves to the church can study. Let's try to list them. So, there are now three schools in Belarus, located in Minsk, Vitebsk and Slonim. In addition, there is a seminary and a theological academy in the capital. It is also necessary to mention the Institute of Theology at the Belarusian State University.

Thus, the choice of educational institutions is great, and here, too, everything is primarily determined by the sincerity of the motives and faith of the future clergyman.

What about Catholics?

Those who are interested in how to become need to know some nuances. The path to serving in the church turns out to be even more difficult than is customary in Orthodoxy. The first difference is that in Catholicism there is no so-called white clergy. Thus, a priest cannot create a family. Future church ministers are trained in seminaries, which can be entered either after receiving higher education or after graduating from high school.

Thus, the path of a Catholic pastor, although not in many ways, differs from how to become an Orthodox priest.

Age restrictions

An option for such people may be to attend a theological academy - there the age limit is up to 55 years. But there is one condition: the applicant must bear parochial obedience, and this must be documented. Even after admission, you must annually provide a reference from the place of obedience, and it must be certified by the ruling bishop.

In any case, the issue of priesthood after the established deadlines must be resolved on an individual basis.

How to become a priest's wife?

Profession or calling?

Now we know how a person can become a priest. However, certain moral qualities should also be considered among the basic requirements: patience, the desire to help in word and deed, love for people. Those who wish to become priests must be prepared to live according to special canons, to voluntarily renounce many joys and pleasures.

Becoming a Catholic priest is a very serious decision. If you feel that this is the will of God, are ready to devote yourself to a righteous life and agree to celibacy, then perhaps you are destined to be ordained. Remember, the life of a Catholic priest is subordinated to serving God and others.

Steps

Getting on the path

Compliance with basic requirements. Currently, in most dioceses, a priest must be single and never married. Both rules have their exceptions, but they are rare, and almost everywhere you need to comply with them.

Active participation in the life of the church parish. You need to start helping in your parish even before you first think about entering a university or seminary. Applicants to become priests must have been practicing Catholics in good standing for at least the past five years, and they must have been actively involved in the life of the parish for at least two years. In addition, it will be better if those who want to become a priest study the conduct of mass, special services and other studies.

Meet your favorite priest. Tell him about your desire to enter the seminary, find out if you could help him during services, when visiting sick parishioners or organizing events in the parish.
In addition to altar services, help with singing and reading. Having thoroughly studied the books and psalms, you will greatly simplify your further path.

Think about your faith. The decision to become ordained is not one that can be made without hesitation - years will pass before the ordination is accepted, and this is not for those who are weak in spirit or faith. If you are confident, perhaps san is for you.
- Pray to God for help in recognizing the situation. Attend Mass regularly, interact with the clergy of your parish, and try to sort out your thoughts and feelings. Seek advice from church leaders or someone you trust in the clergy.
Think about your options. In addition to being a priest, there are other positions in the church that will help you stay closer to God. Besides deacons and monks, consider missionary work. Missionaries primarily engage in cross-cultural missions while living among the poor and disadvantaged.
- Again, it is best to consult an expert. If you are already involved in the activities of the church, then you have several acquaintances who can suggest the right path. Research the issue and connect with the clergy, they will be able to help.
Getting an education
1. Go to university. For bachelors, the time in the seminary is reduced to 4 years. The training will take 8 years anyway - the decision is yours. If you decide to enroll in higher education (public or private), it is better to get a degree in a related field, be it philosophy, theology, or even history.
  - At university, get involved in a church organization. Visit hermits, help other students, and become involved in the life of a new parish or diocese. Under no circumstances should you give up your studies - the university will give you the knowledge you need for your future career.
2. Apply to seminary. Apply to seminary through your diocese or religious order. The process usually involves several questions about you and your desire to be ordained. Find out from your parish where to start.
  
  In seminary it is important to study very well. You'll study philosophy, Latin, Greek, Gregorian chant, dogmatic and moral theology, exegesis, canon law, church history... for starters. One year will be devoted to an in-depth study of “religion” - so you’ll be poring over books almost all the time!
Achieving Success After Seminary
1. Be ordained. The call of a bishop is the final “test” of whether the priesthood is truly your calling. If the bishop does not ordain you, then the priesthood is not your calling. Unless the bishop has some reason for not actually ordaining you, then everything will be fine. Be ordained and you're in business!
2. Receive an appointment as a priest in a specific parish. After the bishop ordains you, you will first be assigned to a diocese. In some cases you may be asked to move. They will help you with accommodation if possible.
  - Once the process is complete, the most important thing is to remain submissive to God and celibate. This will not bring any special financial benefits, but your soul will soar.
- You can be ordained even if you are not a Catholic. Often people realize their calling to the priesthood at the same time as the need to convert to Catholicism.
- Prayer is extremely important to the process of discernment. It is important to attend daytime masses, go to confession often, read spiritual books, and choose one of the saints as your patron.
- Celibacy and sexual abuse scandals may make you less determined to recognize your calling to the priesthood. Understand that these fears are shared by many men in the process of becoming ordained; prayer will help overcome them. Understand also that sexual abuse represents the actions of only a few people in the church, but these people in no way represent the church as a whole or the majority of the priests.
- Remember, entering the seminary is not the same as being ordained. Many enter seminary or become students in a religious congregation, but realize that they are not called to the priesthood. So, if you are not completely sure of your calling (and, by the way, the absolute majority are like that), you can still enroll in a seminary or become a student.
- Remember the two vows of a Catholic priest: obedience and celibacy. Lay priests make these vows to their bishop. The priests of the order take vows of obedience, chastity and poverty.
- You can go to www.gopriest.com and order a free copy of Father Brett A. Brannen's book, Saving Thousands of Souls. This is perhaps one of the most powerful books on diligently recognizing your recognition, the book is free.
- You can look at the program for becoming a priest.
- The terms “vocation” and “knowing” are useful. Everyone is called to be godly, but everyone is called in a different way—callings include religious life, priesthood, singleness, and marriage. “Knowing” is the lifelong process of knowing God through prayer and faith. Knowledge requires enormous patience.

Those who see their lives in serving higher powers graduate from church universities - theological academies and seminaries. However, the training does not oblige the student to change his everyday clothes to a cassock in the future. You can become a theologian and go into science. However, the majority of those who cross the threshold of a “churched university” still want to become priests. Life decided to find out who wants to give up secular education and how the everyday life of the most obedient students goes. Representatives of the main theological schools in Russia - the Moscow and St. Petersburg academies - spoke about this.

Church universities belong to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), and not the Ministry of Education and Science. Some educational institutions - theological academies and seminaries - train clergy and priests. Other, “conditionally secular” universities and institutes - theologians, religious scholars, lawyers and even “social workers” (such as the Moscow Orthodox Institute named after John the Theologian).

70% of students theological academies (may include bachelor's, master's, postgraduate, etc.) or seminaries (bachelor's, previously specialist) - future priests and bishops . Not everyone goes to teach. E These educational institutions do not accept everyone who wants to study; a number of them only accept boys. It all depends on whether the university has departments or faculties where girls can study - this is icon painting, a regency school (they train conductors of church choirs) or a school of gold embroidery. If an academy or seminary trains only clergy (those who perform certain work in the church, for example, helping at divine services, doing social and missionary work, catechism, but do not have holy orders) and priests (conducting divine services, are ordained), then girls, accordingly, cannot enter there.

In order to become a seminarian, you need not only to pass the Unified State Exam in the necessary subjects - this could be the Russian language, history or, for example, social studies, but also internal university exams: biblical history, fundamentals of faith and liturgical regulations. Students must also present a recommendation to the theological school from the priest of their parish (this will guarantee that the person is not coming to Church “from the street”), undergo an interview (in some universities there are several of them) and a medical examination.

As a source from the Moscow Theological Academy said, a person unfamiliar to the parish priest cannot receive a recommendation and reference: the clergyman is personally responsible for each applicant.

If you come “from the street,” the priest will say: “Go to church first, I’ll see what kind of person you are. We’ll talk, you’ll confess, and then I’ll understand whether you can be a seminary student.”

A medical examination is carried out, among other things, to make sure that the applicant does not have any external changes in the body. That is, a disabled person cannot be ordained.

A future priest or clergyman cannot have defects - this is the absence of any parts of the body, even a finger. For God, everyone is equal, but it is important that during the divine service everything goes smoothly: it is unacceptable for an icon or a candle to be dropped due to health problems,” noted a source at the capital’s church university.

A future minister of the Church must undergo an interview - both the teachers and, as at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy (SPbDA), the rector himself talk to him.

Our applicants need to go through three interviews. The first takes place with the academy's confessor. We have it completely wonderful person, rector of one of the most famous city churches, Archpriest Vyacheslav Kharinov. He looks at the moral component of a person. Second interview - with the vice-rector for educational work, with the vice-rector for educational activities. They understand scientific interests The applicant is asked about his educational motivation. The third - perhaps the most important - interview is conducted by the rector, Archbishop of Peterhof Ambrose. He can ask about anything - this is the applicant’s past life, his plans or dreams,” says head of the press service of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy Sergei Malyarov.

Throughout the entire period of study at a theological school, regardless of whether it has departments or faculties for girls, students live on its territory. You can only go home for the holidays.

According to Sergei Malyarov, V St. Petersburg academies, for example, they take place in the summer (dmonth), in winter (three weeks of Christmas holidays), and alsoa week after Easter.

During this period, students leave the walls educational institution, and it is important to understand that no one is watching them. All of our guys are really conscientious, no one will simply come to study with us if he wants to party (in the bad sense of the word), drink and do other things that are unacceptable for a future priest or (if we are talking about girls) an icon painter,” Malyarov said .

Students, as a graduate of the capital’s theological school assured, are almost never given bad grades: the teacher will “pull” up to a C.

If someone gives two marks, it is only so that the student improves - explained a source at the capital's academy. - Classmates will always help. And they expel you for discipline. It is strict in theological schools: you cannot smoke or drink, come to the university after 11:00 p.m. (lights out), or skip services (which are mandatory for everyone). Also, the guys must wear a uniform - a jacket with a stand.

At the Moscow Theological School during Lent, according to one of the university representatives, you need to ask permission to travel to the city.

During this period, seminarians should think more about their inner life, about their souls, and therefore our mentors recommend limiting leaving the university. However, the guys can still leave the academy if they write a paper indicating the reasons and time for visiting the city, says the source.

They study at the Moscow Theological Seminary from Monday to Saturday. Students' day begins at 7 am. Some get up earlier if a person performs a certain obedience - this could be singing in the choir, serving in the dining room, liturgical practice - helping priests, baking prosphora.

At 8 am there is general prayer in the dining room (10 minutes), then breakfast.

AT 8.30 AM free time until 9:00. Most go to the relics of Sergius of Radonezh. It is traditionally believed that he is the patron saint of students.

Classes begin at 9 - standard, like those of secular couples.

Lunch at 1:30 p.m. Afterwards, classes again until almost evening.

Dinner at 8 o'clock. After it, everyone does whatever they want.

At 22:00 general prayer in the temple.

Lights out at 23:00.

On Sunday there is a compulsory morning service - everyone goes to it. The only exceptions are those guys who have their own special obediences; instead of serving, they go to work.

After the morning service there is free time almost until the evening.

There is also an academic day - once a month a day off is given, which falls on a school day, said an interlocutor from the capital's theological academy.

In church universities there is a distribution of graduates; in seminaries and theological academies it is mandatory.

If it turns out that Far East or the Far North does not have enough priests, then the graduate will be sent there. He can end up in any church in Russia, it all depends on the circumstances.

To become a priest (this can be done either while studying or as a university graduate), you need to take holy orders.

For this it is necessary first of all, the desire to serve God in this capacity. Then you need to complete at least a bachelor’s degree (ordained after the third year of a bachelor’s degree in exceptional cases - subject to impeccable academic performance and other indicators of the student) and decide on marital status“get married or take monastic vows,” said Malyarov.

A priest can be married, but he can marry his chosen one only before being ordained. A student writes to the rector of his university about his decision to get married; in the petition, he says that he would like to make a certain “girl” his wife. After this, the head of the university meets with the future newlyweds: “he talks about the seriousness of the couple’s intentions and blesses them for marriage.”

“In rare cases, the rector suggests testing relationships over time. As a rule, for a short period of time - from a month to six months. Sometimes couples really separated, even in such a short time.”

70% of marriages are between students of church universities. For example, in our academy (where both girls and young men study), most often future husbands and wives meet. Students constantly cross paths somewhere and communicate, but you need to understand that every action will be followed by something more serious: no one will kiss anyone just like that. Here everything is different: if you like a girl, then she is a priori considered as a future wife,” said SPbDA. - Of course, no one will expel students for, for example, kissing. We understand that all students have good intentions and that they are young and in love.

Brides of future priests must be virgins, this important condition marriage licenses. At the same time, according to the assurances of a representative of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, no one checks anyone for “purity”.

We are not the Inquisition. Everything is built on trust, on the conscience of each person. Moreover, the rector talks to the girl, as well as to the seminarian, before giving the go-ahead for the wedding. It is always clear when the bride sincerely treats the chosen one, when she is truly Orthodox and understands the canons of the church. This is very important - for her to be the wife of a priest, this is a special role,” Malyarov noted.

Our teachers have special eyes - you can’t help but trust them and you can’t lie to them. They recognize lies. We all open up to them, and so do our future wives,” said an interlocutor from the Moscow Theological Academy. - Our university walls are clean.

"The bride should be an even more serious person by nature than even her groom. He will most spend it in church, and she does it at home, raising children in the Orthodox tradition. She must be prepared for this and for the fact that family wealth will be below average."

After a married student or graduate receives holy orders, he withdraws his wedding ring, thereby showing that now his main task is serving God, the source shared.

Moreover, a priest who has a family will never become a bishop or patriarch.

No matter how much time he devotes to God, he cannot help but think and care about his family. Only monastics receive a high rank in the Church,” the interlocutor added. - If a priest is not married, but does not want to become a monk (this involves observing very strict vows), then he can become a celibate priest, that is, an unmarried clergyman. But this is rare.