To become a priest. How do they become priests?

Who can be a priest? How did the institution of priesthood come about? How much do the realities of modern parish life influence the system of education in theological seminaries? These and other questions are answered by Bishop Anthony, Metropolitan of Boryspil and Brovary, Administrator of the Affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Who is the mediator?

- Master, why does the priesthood exist? Why are intermediaries needed in communication between man and God?

The idea that a priest is a mediator in communication between God and man is fundamentally wrong. Who do we call a mediator in everyday life? The one who is in the middle. An intermediary is someone through whom something is transmitted. If two people communicate through an intermediary, then there is no personal contact between them. And if we consider the priest a “mediator,” this will mean that we do not communicate with God personally. But the New Testament is imbued with the opposite feeling, sometimes simply the incomprehensible closeness of the Lord to people. This is a book about the closest communication between God and man, a book about God-manhood!

- What then is the priesthood?

Let's open the New Testament. We see that the Lord Jesus Christ chose only 12 apostles (translated from Greek as “messengers”) to carry out a special mission. They bring to all humanity the message that the world is saved in Christ, they preach the Kingdom of God, which has come in power. They first spread the faith and then strengthened it among Christian converts. Without this mission, Christianity would simply be impossible. In his Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul writes: How can we call on Him in whom we have not believed? How can one believe in Him of whom one has not heard? How to hear without a preacher? And how can we preach if they are not sent? (Rom. 10:14–15). These words precisely speak about the birth of the Church: the Lord sends the apostles, they preach to the whole world, and as a result, people accept Christ as their Savior. Thus, from the very beginning of Christianity, the Lord Jesus Christ established a special institution among His followers - the institution of the apostles.

- How did the institution of priesthood arise?

The New Testament clearly records the moments when the apostles begin to appoint bishops and elders to lead communities. Thus, the Book of Acts says that the apostles Paul and Barnabas ordained elders for each church (Acts 14:23). A few chapters earlier, seven deacons were chosen to maintain order and justice in the daily distribution of needs (see: Acts 6: 1-6). These priestly degrees exist to this day. The task of the bishop and priest, as we clearly see in Scripture, is to lead communities, teach Christians the truths of the faith and help them follow the path of spiritual improvement. Usually a priest is called a shepherd. This means that he and the flock he leads are going in the same direction. Therefore, he has a special responsibility for the community.

When getting acquainted with the church hierarchy, it becomes obvious that in its complexity it is not inferior to the “table of ranks” in the army. How can the uninitiated deal with this?

In fact, as I said, there are only three degrees of priesthood: deacon, priest and bishop. A deacon (translated from Greek as “servant”) only assists in the performance of divine services, but does not have the right to perform the sacraments on his own. If he is in the monastic rank, he is called a hierodeacon, and the one who has taken monastic vows into the schema is called a schema-hierodeacon. The senior deacon in married clergy is called protodeacon (first deacon), and in monasticism - archdeacon (senior deacon).

The second degree of priesthood is presbyter (translated from Greek as “elder”). He is also called a priest or priest. He can perform all sacraments except ordination. A presbyter who is a monk is called a hieromonk, and one who has accepted the schema is called a schema monk. The senior elders of the white clergy are called archpriests and protopresbyters (first priests). The eldest of the monk-priests are called abbots and archimandrites. Abbots and archimandrites usually lead monasteries.

The third (highest) degree of priesthood is bishop (translated from Greek as “overseer”). He has the right to perform all seven sacraments. Bishops are also called bishops or hierarchs. They head large church districts (dioceses). A diocese can include from several dozen to several hundred churches. Bishops can also govern associations of dioceses, which are usually called metropolitan districts. Accordingly, such a bishop is called a metropolitan. The bishop who heads the Local Church may bear the title of archbishop, metropolitan or patriarch.

“After being ordained, it is prohibited to marry”

Many people think that a seminary graduate automatically becomes a priest. How is the Sacrament of Priesthood performed?

Ordination to all three degrees of the priesthood is performed only during the Divine Liturgy. The bishop ordains the priest and deacon. And the ordination of a bishop can be performed by at least two bishops. One bishop alone cannot ordain another - this is prohibited by canonical rules.

- What is the reason for this ban?

First of all, with the conciliar nature of the Church. The priest and deacon receive their powers from the bishop. By ordaining a deacon or priest, the bishop delegates to him part of his authority in the sphere of worship and the administration of the sacraments. The deacon and priest are subject to the authority of the bishop in whose diocese they serve. But the canons establish completely different relationships between bishops. Bishops are equal to each other. The highest authority in the Church is the Council of Bishops, which is the successor to the Apostolic Council. Therefore, the election and ordination of a new bishop must be carried out only by the Council of Bishops. In the practice of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the election of a new bishop is carried out by the Holy Synod. The ordination of new bishops takes place in a solemn atmosphere, at the Liturgy.

- How does the Sacrament itself take place? What is the main thing about it?

The main moment of the Sacrament is the laying on of hands, during which a special prayer is read. When the ordination of a deacon and presbyter occurs, the bishop in whose diocese he will serve lays hands on him. When a bishop is ordained, the open book of the Gospel is placed on his head, and all the bishops who are present at the service lay hands on him.

- Who can be ordained to the priesthood? What are the requirements for a future priest?

In the Orthodox Church, only male persons professing the Orthodox faith and having experience of church life can be admitted to the priesthood. Degrees of the priesthood can only be taken sequentially. You cannot be ordained immediately as an elder without passing through the degree of deacon. And, accordingly, you cannot become a bishop if you have not previously been a presbyter. Both married and celibate candidates can be ordained as deacons or priests. However, they must marry before being ordained.

After being ordained, marriage is prohibited. But candidates can only be ordained as bishops from among the monastics. There is also an age limit. Priests are usually ordained no earlier than 25 years of age, and bishops no earlier than 30 years of age.

It is very important that a candidate for the priesthood be rooted in the tradition of church life. The canonical rules do not permit the ordination of converts. After all, a priest must help his parishioners enter into the fullness of church life. It is unlikely that such a task can be accomplished by someone who has not yet fully assimilated church tradition. You also need to have the necessary knowledge and high moral qualities.

Be a model

Secular society also places high moral demands on priests. Why does their behavior sometimes disappoint people?

It is unfortunate to hear of such inappropriate behavior. We live in an information society. And therefore, the priest’s misconduct can almost instantly become public. But the saddest thing is that in such cases the stain of shame falls not only on the most careless shepherd, but also on the entire Church. This is the pattern of social consciousness. The shortcomings of a priest are automatically transferred to the entire Church.

Every priest must remember the responsibility entrusted to him. After all, he is given a cross, on the reverse side of which important words are written: be an example for the faithful in word, in life, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Tim. 4:12). These words precisely express the main moral requirement presented to the priest. He must, first of all, be a model for his parishioners. The moral requirements that are prescribed for all Christians in the New Testament must be observed by the priest with special care, so that a model can always be seen in him. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ calls his disciples the light of the world: so let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Every Christian should shine to the world with his virtuous life. But for the pastor of the Church this requirement is doubly relevant.

At the same time, we must understand: the deacon, the priest, and the bishop are also people who struggle with sin. In this struggle it is not always possible to win. And if we encounter unworthy behavior of a priest, first of all, we should not condemn him. It is better to pray to God for this person, so that the Lord will give him the strength to correct himself and carry out his ministry with dignity.

- Are there any types of activities that are not recommended or prohibited for priests?

The canons prohibit those activities that are incompatible with high service. A priest cannot indulge in drunkenness or engage in gambling. He must not have an alcoholic feast or visit places where they drink alcohol. In the decrees of ancient church councils there are also prohibitions for priests to participate in festivities associated with pagan rituals, dressing men in women's clothes, and using masks. In Byzantium, a priest was forbidden to attend the hippodrome or attend other similar public entertainments. It is also forbidden to visit public baths, since men and women have washed together in them since pagan times. There may also be restrictions on participation in a wedding: if obscene games take place there, you should leave. Also, the priest is strictly forbidden to raise his hand against a person, even against someone who has done wrong. Any activities related to the shedding of blood (not only of humans, but also of animals) are not permitted. This applies not only to hunting, but also to medical practice, especially surgery. Indeed, in the event of a death (during an operation), the surgeon may be accused of involuntary murder, and this entails defrocking. Other occupations (professions) are also incompatible with priestly service: performance of public and government positions, military service, usury and trade (especially wine). As for appearance, you cannot wear dandy and magnificent clothes: they must be modest and decent. The main purpose of such requirements is to protect the priest from anything that could serve as a temptation to others.

Be responsible not only for yourself

- Is having a seminary education a prerequisite for being ordained?

A candidate for the degree of presbyter, and especially a bishop, is required to have both thorough knowledge and the ability to convey this knowledge to others. The Apostle Paul also wrote that a bishop must be strong and instruct in sound doctrine and reprove those who resist (Titus 1:9). Therefore, the Church has a special system for preparing candidates for the priesthood. Before the revolution, for ordination it was necessary to successfully complete a course of study at a theological seminary, and for a bishop it was considered mandatory to graduate from a theological academy. Although there were cases when high hierarchical degrees were achieved without spiritual education. A striking example is the spiritual writer of the 19th century. Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov), whose works were included in the golden fund of Orthodox ascetic literature.

After the revolution, the system of spiritual education was destroyed. In conditions of severe persecution of the Church, it was simply impossible to receive spiritual education. Therefore, those who did not have an education were also allowed to be ordained. But today we have a sufficient number of educational institutions for training shepherds. Therefore, the ordination of candidates who have not studied in a seminary is permitted only as an exception.
Those who study full-time in theological seminaries can be ordained deacon starting from the third year. And we usually allow those who are studying in their last (fourth) year of seminary to receive priesthood.

You often have to ordain your students. Are you interested in the future fate of former students?

Our graduates, as a rule, return to serve in the dioceses from which they were sent to study. We try to support them in pastoral ministry. However, it is hardly possible to track the fates of all graduates... In this regard, I would like to remind you: even before the revolution, when the Kiev Theological Academy was preparing to celebrate its 300th anniversary (in 1915), Professor Archpriest Fyodor Titov decided to collect information about all the graduates, graduated from the academy during the 19th – early 20th centuries. He worked for several years, collected a lot of material, but was never able to solve such a large-scale problem. Now we are also engaged in publishing materials collected by Father Fedor. Working on them, we see how unexpectedly the destinies of our graduates sometimes took shape...

- How much do the realities of modern parish life influence the system of education in a theological seminary?

Of course, in a theological school you need to receive comprehensive training: theoretical, practical, and general humanitarian. Therefore, creating a balanced curriculum is very difficult. We regularly adjust our educational programs based on the modern needs of the Church. Both feedback from graduates and constant communication with the ruling bishops, who are well aware of the needs of their dioceses, are extremely important to us.

- How many priests serve in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church?

More than 11 thousand. They serve in parishes whose number exceeds 12 thousand. The situation is different in different regions. In some dioceses there are practically no priestly vacancies, while in others there is a shortage of clergy. As statistics show, the quantitative growth of the Church’s clergy (which began after the fall of the atheistic Soviet state) continues to this day: new communities are being created, new churches and monasteries are being built.

What should a person think about when he first thought about the priesthood? What motive should be present in such a desire?

The desire to become a priest must necessarily be associated with the determination to give all of oneself to the service of God and people. The desire for the priesthood is a desire for selflessness, and not for power, career advancement or material enrichment. Accepting the priesthood is accepting a voluntary burden. After all, at the Last Judgment, the priest will be responsible not only for himself, but also for those people whom the Lord entrusted to him. Before becoming a priest, you need to test your heart...

Recorded by Archpriest Vladislav Sofiychuk

Probably, every person has faced the question of the meaning of his own life - at some point more acutely, at others less so. But the direction of human activity and human existence depends on the solution of this issue.

Self-determination in life begins in childhood. A person gets to know the world, its good and negative sides. And in this process of cognition, it is important to make your own choice in the system of value orientation: what exactly, good or evil, he will bring into the world of human relationships. What will guide his actions - motives of love or motives of selfishness.

It is generally accepted that the most important step in personal self-determination is the choice of profession. Each profession is associated with a certain type of activity, which carries a certain moral burden. Undoubtedly, the professions of a doctor and a school teacher are different in nature from many others. Their activities are based on dedication, love, and compassion. The specificity of the work of a teacher or doctor is that it requires not only a sum of professional knowledge, but also a kind, loving heart. It is precisely this that helps one do the impossible: sit relentlessly at the patient’s bedside, worry and rejoice, endure and admire.

There is another area of ​​human activity that requires greater dedication, greater love and purity of heart - this is the ministry of a priest. And just as representatives of secular professions once made an important decision in choosing the mode of their activity, so the clergyman decided once and for all to connect his life with serving God and people.

When does this choice happen? It's probably different for everyone. But there is one moment that is decisive - this is the inner Divine call. At the moment of this call, a person feels how the One who is the Source of life places special hopes on him in terms of collaboration in the cause of good. It is as if he hears the Divine voice: “Whom should I send? And who will go for Us?” (Isa. 6:1).

This ministry is not easy, and just as professional work is preceded by education, so pastoral work involves a process of preparation. What is it? In Christian theological terminology, this process is called “spiritual formation.” Spiritual education is specific. It is based on two components: intellectual and moral improvement. And these two aspects are inseparable from each other. The purpose of secular education is to acquire the amount of knowledge necessary for a particular profession. However, pastoral ministry requires more than this. A priest must, first of all, be morally perfect. What makes the best graduate of a secular educational institution different? - High level of education. On the contrary, the best graduate of a theological educational institution will be the one who, in the process of studying, sought to acquire a kind and loving heart, a firm and unshakable faith in God.

Traditionally in the Church, spiritual education is acquired in theological schools. They can be divided into three groups: Theological Schools (secondary specialized), Theological Seminaries (higher professional) and Theological Academies (higher theological). The main teaching and educational load falls on the Theological Seminaries, whose activities we will focus our attention on. On the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church there are about thirty Theological Seminaries. The number of such theological schools ranges from eighty to five hundred people. The purpose of the Seminaries, undoubtedly, is the spiritual education of future shepherds of the Church.

What is spiritual education? The answer to this question has deep roots in Christian theology. According to the Bible, man is called to be like God, that is, the whole meaning of his existence lies in the constant striving for improvement, and in this movement there is only one guideline - the Divine image. Consequently, the basis of spiritual education is, first of all, the personal moral improvement of a person, and only then intellectual knowledge.

Unfortunately, in the secular education system, the aspect of moral preparation is practically omitted. Undoubtedly, such a phenomenon is a consequence of the culture that determines public consciousness. The ideal of modern society is the image of a materially successful person. We can say that the basis of the relationship of modern man to the world around him is the principle of “to have”. It is this, as an integral aspect of consumer culture, that shapes the attitude of the younger generation to education. Therefore, in modern society those professions that provide a carefree and carefree lifestyle are popular.

Christian philosophy suggests looking at the world with different eyes. Man exists on earth not to consume, but to give his strength to serve others. Moreover, the quality of this service depends on the degree of formation of the individual himself. Therefore, a system of spiritual education cannot be imagined without internal moral improvement. A person should base his relationship to the world around him not on the principle of “to have,” but on the principle of “to be,” but this requires a long and persistent struggle with his egoism. If there is no such struggle, personality degradation is inevitable. Just as a person’s muscles atrophy with complete inactivity, so the strength of the soul, in the absence of the desire for self-improvement, makes it unable to resist evil and do good. It is this important aspect of education that has been lost in secular educational institutions, but traditionally existed and exists in religious institutions - theological schools.

So, the basis of human existence, according to Christian theology, is the desire for perfection. Perfection itself is impossible without Divine help. This is the defining guideline for spiritual education.

How is this improvement accomplished? The beginning of this path lies in a meeting with Christ. Actually, Christians are not those who recognize the uniqueness of the personality of Christ, but those who need Him, who feel His participation in their personal lives.

According to Christian anthropology, Divine grace is not something external to man, it is a force without which man is deprived of the basis of his being. And this grace-filled power, once lost by Adam and Eve, was again returned thanks to the Person of Christ the Savior. The uniqueness of the Christian religion is emphasized here. If in Buddhism the Buddha, and in Islam the Prophet Muhammad, are only teachers-preachers, then in Christianity the main emphasis is on the importance of mystical unity with the Person of Christ, without which a person is not capable of perfection. Christ says: “I am the vine, and you are the branches; whoever abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:15).

Where does the encounter with Christ take place? Of course, in the temple. Therefore, this is where the main “audience” of the seminarian is located. Participation in worship, in the sacraments of the Church, fasting, prayer - all these are the main components of spiritual education. In this regard, it is the criterion of church membership that serves as the basis for enrollment in the Seminary. The applicant must know not only the main features of the sequence of worship, but also take direct part in it, not only regularly attend church services, but also love their atmosphere, their inner essence.

Thus, spiritual improvement has two components - personal desire of the will and the help of Divine grace. The personal striving of the will, in contrast to the action of Divine grace, is characterized by its instability. A person, being weak in choosing good, needs external support, external conditions that contribute to his internal development. In religious educational institutions similar conditions exist, and one of their aspects is strict internal discipline.

The seminary, the internal way of her life, often resembles the army. There is a clear daily routine, a system of rewards and punishments, and students wear the same uniform. It is no coincidence that the image of a warrior was borrowed from Christianity. The ancient Church was identified with a military camp, constantly in full combat readiness. And the clergy themselves are often called warriors of Christ. Of course, all these analogies have a symbolic meaning. Both the image of a warrior and the image of a military camp reflect the spirit of cohesion, constant readiness to attack the enemy and, of course, good internal preparation, hardening and courage.

The life of a Christian is a struggle. And this struggle, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). In such a struggle, the priest is the military leader, on whom the outcome of the battle often depends. Therefore, in battle, the enemy tries to hit him, and in this regard, it is he, like no one else, who needs to be especially vigilant and especially prepared.

Something similar happens in the Christian life. The church community centers around the priest. He is the leader of the spiritual life of the members of his parish. In him they see an example to follow and a man of prayer before God. Of course, this is a very high service, requiring special inner talents, special inner strengths. Considering the height of pastoral service, the Church pays special attention to the moral life of students of theological schools. Teachers and educators bear indirect responsibility for who will continue the work of Christ. What if this person turns out to be not a shepherd, but a mercenary, what if, through his fault, people turn away from God? The cost of a mistake is too great - this is the life of many people plunged into destruction through the fault of a careless shepherd.

That is why in theological schools there is careful selection and strict discipline. Both educators and teachers feel a special responsibility for those who have expressed a desire to become a clergyman. And if a young man is not able to do what he has started, if he does not correspond to such a high rank, then he is excluded from among the students of the Theological School. This exclusion is not from the Church, it is not caused by personal condemnation and contempt: in this case, everyone understands perfectly well that not only his personal salvation, but also the salvation of those people who are entrusted to him by God in a particular parish depends on the moral life of the priest.

The situation in modern Theological schools is not easy. Young people of varying degrees of morality and religiosity come here. As a rule, these are guys eighteen to twenty years old who were brought up in a society dominated by material and hedonic values. And it was into their world that the ray of the Divine call penetrated, to which they responded, thanks to which they entered the Theological schools. Now they are faced with a difficult task - personal improvement. The difficulty of this task lies in the fact that the entire modern culture deprives a person of the experience of striving for a moral ideal, so they come to theological school not fully prepared. Here, at the Seminary, students have to learn the basics of an ascetic lifestyle and acquire the first skills of spiritual struggle with their passions.

Given these circumstances, one should not have any illusions about the ideal atmosphere of the seminary society. Some of those who come here assimilate the world of the Church, while others, on the contrary, continue to live by the same values ​​that contradict the Christian spirit. Some people cope with themselves, others suffer defeats. This is fine. The main thing is not to lose aspirations, not to lose desire, not to become lukewarm, indifferent to your condition, that is, simply not to give up. After all, the Church is called holy not because its members possess absolute holiness, but because they strive for holiness. Likewise, the seminary society is a society not of the perfect, but of those improving, both intellectually and morally.

Yes, the ideal of a priest is high. The path to it is very difficult. Here a person overcomes the most important obstacles - his own passions and selfishness. But we must always remember that there is no higher ministry than that of a good shepherd, and there is no more worthy title than that of a priest. For in this service a person becomes a friend and co-worker of God, both in the matter of his own salvation and in the matter of selfless and selfless service to other people.

I arrived at noon to get acquainted with the life of the Saratov Orthodox Theological Seminary and its students. At this time, classes usually end in secular educational institutions, but in theological seminaries the educational process is in full swing. However, it never stops here. A strictly regulated daily routine is an indispensable condition of life for seminary students. Closeness from the outside world disciplines future priests, fosters tolerance, respect for each other, and brotherly relations. That is why seminarians are called not students, but pupils.

The main audience is the temple

From the past life, only a wide metal staircase with wrought iron railings remains here; otherwise, it is difficult to recognize the building of the former teaching staff forge. Now everything is different here: beautiful, spacious, perfectly clean and full of icons. There is everything necessary for the spiritual education of clergy, but the main audience is the church, in which seminarians learn the skills of liturgical life, carry out sexton and singing obedience, and gain their first experience in pastoral service and church preaching.

In a church university, everything is not the same as in other educational institutions. Teachers respectfully address students in cassocks not just by name, but by “father.” At any course you can meet priests serving in parishes, rectors of churches, although they are still far from receiving a diploma. The criteria for ordination, that is, into the profession, are different here - spiritual.

I want to serve God and people

I asked sophomore priest Artemy Dobrynin, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Privolzhskoye, Rivne region, head of the missionary department of the Intercession diocese, the traditional question that all applicants are asked upon admission to the seminary: “Why did you decide to become a priest?”

— The Lord asked me the same question before blessing me to study. I replied that I wanted to serve God and people. I had before my eyes a wonderful example of such service. I then lived in Marks and often watched how our local priest, Archpriest Valery Gensitsky, communicated with parishioners - like a father. This made a huge impression on me and gave rise to the desire to also become a priest.

Even to me this thought seemed incredible then, because I had everything that a young man could dream of. As a teenager, I was already playing basketball professionally, was a master of sports, earned good money, and played for the Russian national team. In short, there were no problems. But there was no understanding: why am I living? Once, having broken my leg while playing, I sat at home for a long time and decided to read the Gospel. I had never opened the book that was once given to me by my godfather. And I was literally dumbfounded by what was revealed to me: I realized that I was living incorrectly, and this is how most of my peers live. I began to go to church, read spiritual literature, and learn more about Orthodoxy.

I remember my first confession: I was very worried, but Father Valery supported me, saying: “You come more often.” Since then, I haven’t missed a single service, but I haven’t given up sports either. Great Lent arrived, and for the first time I fasted truly, in a Christian way. My teammates looked at me like I was crazy, they didn’t understand why I was doing this, because competitions require a lot of physical effort. And while fasting, I felt in excellent physical shape.

When the idea of ​​studying at a theological seminary came, I shared it with Father Valery, then I wrote a letter to Vladyka, and at the meeting he blessed me to study. Until the last minute, until I got on the bus, my parents did not believe that I would turn my life around so dramatically. Studying at the seminary convinced me that I made the right choice. I found my place and was ordained to the priesthood in my sophomore year. The Lord directed it in such a way that now all of my numerous relatives have joined the church. Half of our parish in Marks are my relatives.

- You are a family man, you must support your family. Tell me, is the priesthood a job for you?

— To put it in one word, it is joy. As soon as you begin to feel the temple of God as a place of your work, you are simply a performer of various requirements, and not a priest.

...By the way, the young priest did not say goodbye to sports completely. In his village, Father Artemy intends to train children, so there will soon be an Orthodox basketball team.

Our training continues in the temple

Four years ago, a young man approached priest Viktor Tikhonov, keymaster of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and asked permission to serve at the altar, immediately revealing his plans for the future: he intended to enter a theological seminary and become a priest. He was hired, served as a sexton, then as a subdeacon, and a year later he immediately entered the second year of seminary - the future priest already had a higher legal education. A year later, seminarian Shmatko became Father George. This is how everything happened quickly in his life, although the young priest walked towards his goal for a long time, overcoming doubts and misunderstandings of his loved ones.

“This was, of course, not a spontaneous step. Already in high school, I began to read spiritual literature, think about the meaning of life, and became more and more inclined to the idea that a person cannot come to this earth from generation to generation just to eat, drink, produce offspring, and again that’s all. in the same circle. It seemed pointless to me. There is such a concept - seeking God. So I did this for quite a long time, became interested in many philosophical and religious ideas, until I realized that the truth is in Orthodoxy.

— Who influenced your worldview?

“I walked this path on my own. There was not a single believer in my circle at that time, so no one supported me in my quest; on the contrary, the attitude towards me became more and more negative and suspicious. It seemed like he was an ordinary person, could make a decent career, earn good money, and suddenly for everyone around him he became an alien. Time passed, I made the most important choice in my life, and everything fell into place.

— Has your life changed much after that?

“Everything has changed, even friends and acquaintances.” In the Church I found a new family, here I met my future wife. My whole life is now connected to our temple, where my mother once brought me occasionally as a little boy.

- The life of a priest is never calm, you can never completely belong to yourself, to your family.

“This is the meaning of our ministry.” The priest is called to lead people to God, to eternal life. The responsibility is enormous. You must constantly remember your priesthood, at any moment go to where they are waiting for your help, you must always remain a priest, including when leaving the doors of the temple. This is the only way to become a good priest whom parishioners will listen to and love.

— You recently became a priest. Isn’t it difficult to combine studies at the seminary with church service and family concerns?

“Now I serve the obligatory magpie for newly ordained people, which means daily Liturgies and evening services for forty days. Father must serve not when he wants, but as long as his parishioners need, so you have to get used to it. Of course, my studies are difficult; I only have time for half of my classes. The seminary goes to the meeting, because our training continues in the temple.

The priesthood is a never-ending work

Raising yesterday's schoolchildren into pastors is not an easy task, therefore, when admitting to a theological seminary, they pay attention not only to the amount of necessary knowledge, but, most importantly, to the spiritual state of future priests. Not everyone can be trusted to appear before the Throne of God, to be a conductor between God and people.

Today there are many young priests serving in parishes. The opening churches need clergy; there are not enough of them. Both the personnel shortage and the Providence of God, invisibly operating in the lives of those who are ready to accept it, apparently all came together. The road to the seminary of Andrei Kasimov, who bears the obedience of a senior subdeacon, is in many ways similar to the path that his comrades in the seminary took.

Andrei grew up in a family in which they did not talk about religion at all. But the school history teacher, a Kazakh by nationality, often liked to repeat: “You need to know history like the Lord’s Prayer.” Few people in the class understood what it was. An inquisitive guy found out that the Lord's Prayer begins with these words. I began to read the Gospel on my own and fast in secret from my parents. There was no church in the village of Trudovaya, St. Petersburg district, but by that time the topic of Orthodoxy was present in many media, and Andrei increasingly began to think about faith.

Having entered the Faculty of Journalism at Saratov State University, he became a parishioner of the Saratov Holy Trinity Cathedral, in which he received the Sacrament of Baptism. Andrei received his first obedience - reading on the choir - from the former rector of the church, the current Bishop of Pokrovsky and Nikolaevsky Pachomius.

The young man found himself in a different world, with different human relationships, and no longer wanted to return to his previous environment. The moment came when it was necessary to decide: to continue studying at the university or devote oneself to the Church. A difficult test for the young man was his parents’ categorical rejection of his decision to study at a theological seminary. He was forced to leave home, he took this conflict hard, but insisted on his own. Now Andrey is already in his last year of study.

— Isn’t the army regime, the strict framework in which you live during all five years of study, difficult for seminary students? Is it possible for a young man to get used to a life in which everything happens on cue?

“Not everyone can endure it; almost half of the seminarians leave for various reasons without completing their studies. But I would not call our life at the seminary “rigid boundaries.” These are the conditions that a person needs if he is a Christian, and especially if he is preparing for pastoral service. We are taught to force ourselves in everything, while remembering that the bar we strive for will always remain unattainable. The priesthood is a never-ending work, and we are prepared for it in the seminary. The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force, as it is said in the Gospel. And I made peace with my mother, thank God!

In one of his interviews, the Rector of the Theological Seminary, Metropolitan Longin of Saratov and Volsky, admitted that during conversations with applicants entering the study, he tries to understand what is inside a person, why he crossed the threshold of the seminary. And at the beginning of the new (2016-2017) academic year, in his traditional address to the seminarians, he wished them, over the years of study, to develop in themselves the most important thing - a love for worship, God and people.

Olga Strelkova

Becoming a clergyman and helping others means completely dedicating yourself to faith and religion. But in order to be ordained and work in a parish, you need appropriate preparation. Not only the study of science, grammar and writing will allow one to become a minister of the church, but also spiritual readiness to take orders.

What does it take to become a priest?

Studying in a seminary is the initial task for achieving ordination. But the applicant must meet the following requirements:

• male gender, age from 18 to 35 years;
• marital status: single or first married;
• having completed secondary education;
• recommendation from a church minister.

In addition to the standard conditions for the set, there are requirements for the initial knowledge of the seminarian. This must be the ability to express one’s thoughts well, the ability to convey biblical stories exactly with the intended meaning.

Upon admission, the commission will also check the ability to read the Psalter and vocal abilities for performing in the choir.

The total duration of training is 5 years. In this case, students receive a scholarship. Nonresident seminarians are provided not only with a place to stay, but also with food. Living in a hostel requires compliance with many rules. For example, at night, each seminarian must be in his own room. In addition, visits to students by outsiders are prohibited. The only exception is communication with relatives who have come to meet the future clergyman.

Exams for admission to the seminary begin in mid-August. Full training for applicants is carried out from September 1, as in any regular university.

After completing their training, seminarians go to their parish to which they will be assigned. Depending on the length and serviceability of the service, it is possible to receive a new rank. According to the current rank, a clergyman can either simply be present at the sacraments or conduct them.

The most important issue is marital status at the time of graduation from seminary. The future clergyman must become a monk, get married, or postpone taking orders.

How to become a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church

You can become a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church only after studying at a specialized educational institution. These include universities, seminaries, institutes and academies. Training in them is difficult and requires full dedication and strict adherence to the rules.

After completing his training, the newly minted clergyman enters one of the parishes assigned to a separate educational institution. Then, as new orders are received, a transition to one of the parishes belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church is possible.

Churches and cathedrals of the Russian Orthodox Church located all over the world accept only those clergy who have a high rank and who, throughout their service to the parish, have helped in the development of the church and the instruction of parishioners.

How to become a priest without seminary (without education)

A person who does not have a seminary education can become a clergyman only if the head of his parish ordains him. But this ordination is practiced exclusively in a few churches, so seminarian education is a prerequisite for becoming a clergyman.

How to become an Orthodox priest

Theoretically, any male person who has been baptized in Orthodoxy and received the appropriate education can become an Orthodox priest. In practice, one must prepare for service from early childhood. This profession is often passed from father to son. You can receive an initial Orthodox education not only in the family, but also in Sunday schools, which are now open at many churches.

A future priest can receive a special education at a seminary or theological school, as well as at a theological academy or theological university. However, a diploma is not enough to become a priest. They become one only after performing a special rite - the sacrament of ordination to the priesthood.

Sacrament of Ordination

Before accepting it, a man has to make another vital choice: decide whether he will start a family. If he cannot imagine himself without a family, then he must get married, and according to the church canon, before being ordained. In this case, he will belong to the so-called “white clergy.” “Black clergy” - those who accepted monasticism and renounced carnal pleasures will no longer be able to get married. However, it is for them that all career prospects open up. Only representatives of the “black clergy” can become bishops, archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs.

How to become a Catholic priest

The path to becoming a Catholic priest is even more severe. There is no “white clergy” in Catholicism, therefore, just when you are about to embark on this path, you must be prepared to take a vow of celibacy. Catholic priests receive their spiritual education at a seminary, where they can enter either after a gymnasium or after a university. In the first case, you will have to study for 8 years, in the second – 4 years. After completing his training, the future priest is given a six-month probationary period in the service of the church so that he can finally decide whether he has chosen the right path. After the end of this period, the ordination ceremony will take place.

How to become a priest?

Publication date 03.06.2010

In recent years, feature films have been devoted to the image of the Orthodox clergyman in our country. Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church are frequent guests of various television programs on secular television channels and indispensable participants in the most important state ceremonies. However, the world of clergy still remains largely closed to the unchurched part of society. A correspondent for the newspaper “Vacancy” decided to find out how priests are trained in our city? To do this, we turned to the seminary teacher, rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Quick to Hear, Archpriest Father Boris (Bezmenov).

– There is an opinion that people are accepted into the seminary almost right away. Is it really?

– Under Soviet rule, it was very risky to come to us. Therefore, about 60% of the seminarians came from villages in Western Ukraine, where strong spiritual traditions were preserved. I even learned Ukrainian while working in the admissions office. Of the exams in the 60s and 70s, we only had dictation, interviews and singing. Today, the level of applicants has noticeably increased, “people with laptops” come to us, so the admissions committee has someone to choose from.

– What is the competition today? Relatively speaking, how many applicants are there for one place and what are the general requirements for future seminarians?

– It is difficult to give a specific figure, since anyone wishing to enter the seminary will have to go through a serious selection sieve. Let's start with the fact that, according to the established rules, the St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Seminary, which is a higher specialized educational institution, admits males aged 18 to 35 years, with at least a secondary education, single or married in their first marriage. To be admitted to the interview and oral examinations, applicants must obtain a recommendation from the diocesan bishop or a certified recommendation from a parish priest. And then, in addition to passing oral exams on the biblical history of the Old and New Testaments, the Catechism, general church history, the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Church Charter, applicants must write a statement on a biblical or church historical topic. The selection committee also checks knowledge of basic prayers, church chants, and an ear for music. A prerequisite is the ability to read the Psalter in Church Slavonic.

– And when do the entrance exams start?

– Seminary exams begin in mid-August. The classes themselves start from September 1. By the way, the training period is five years. Students are paid a stipend. Nonresident students, as well as all single students, are provided with a hostel and free meals. Moreover, of course, they can go out into the city, but must spend the night in a hostel.

- It’s not easy to do. But how is the graduate’s fate then decided? What is the distribution principle?

– Our seminarians are not only from the St. Petersburg diocese, but from all over Russia. Moreover, we have a faculty for foreign students. Everyone who graduates from the seminary then returns to their diocese, where the hierarchy distributes the graduates to parishes. It happens that capable students from other dioceses are left in St. Petersburg, but this requires the blessing of the bishop who recommended them for admission. And all the locals go to our Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Vladimir, and he decides where to send graduates to serve. Of course, every seminary graduate is precious. Today, almost every diocese has its own seminaries and theological schools. That's why many of our graduates become teachers.

– Is it true that before graduating from the seminary, a student must either find a spouse or become a monk?

– You can take holy orders only after first deciding your fate. You need to decide whether you are following the monastic path or getting married. Once you have been ordained, you cannot change your status. There are three options: a person takes monastic vows, or he gets married and has one wife for life, or a third, extremely rare and undesirable path: a person has not taken monastic vows, has not married, but is not ready to become a monk. This is called celibacy.

– Where do future clergymen find brides? After all, a seminarian cannot go to a dance in a nightclub, for example...

– Previously, finding a bride for a seminarian was a big problem. Today we have a regency class open at our seminary, where they train conductors of the spiritual choir. Mostly girls from religious families who want to receive spiritual education study there. Many of them marry seminary students and become mothers. We have examples where marriages take place after meeting on Orthodox sites.