Saints' Methodius
and Cyrill
Christian Educational Centre
1. Christian Educational Centre: history of creation and its mission
2. Basic projects of Christian Educational Centre
2.1. Faculty of Theology
2.2. Other Christian educational programs
2.3. Christian educational projects
2.4. University Church
2.5. Room of psychological help
2.6. Sunday school
2.7. Help to invalids
2.8. Legislative and creative initiatives
3. Address of the Christian Educational Centre
Andrej Danilov, theological faculty of the European Humanitarian University
of Minsk.
The president of this Association is Metropolitan Filaret of Belarus. This Association became a member of ECEN on 4 March 4 2000.
The Faculty of Theology was set up in 1993 at European Humanities University in Minsk (Belarus). The main aim of Faculty activity is the revival of national theological school. Graduates of faculty can continue study at leading theological centres of world, work in system of education, science and culture and also in sphere of social and church service.
In 1996 Byelorussian Republican Christian Educational Foundation was created by Council of Trustees at Saints’ Methodius and Cyrill Faculty, which solved organisational tasks and carried out management of grants, assigned to faculty.
In spite of fact that Faculty of Theology and Christian Educational Foundation did not receive financial assets from state, they managed to solve many methodological and organisational problems and to ensure free annual training for 80 students on 5 courses.
Many new directions, developed together with Faculty of Theology and independently, have appeared in Foundation activity during 1998-1999. The Foundation has raised its status and, while conducting of nation-wide re-registration of voluntary organisations in 1999, it has received a new name: The International Voluntary Association «Saints’ Methodius and Cyrill Christian Educational Centre».
The Christian Educational Centre works under management of Patriarchal Exarch of all Belarus, Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Philaret, who is the President of Centre, with participation of Bishop of Grodno and Volkovysk Artemij, leading theologians of Republic of Belarus, Scientific - Industrial Association of Republic of Belarus and leading industrial, financial state and private enterprises, representatives of science and culture.
The Christian Educational Centre responsibly and regularly carries out planned financing and developing of material base of Theology Faculty of European Humanities University.
The basic mission of Christian Educational Centre is the realisation and support of Orthodox Christian educational, social and scientific programs, which are described below.
2. Basic projects of Christian Educational Centre
Saints Methodius and Cyrill Faculty of Theology was set up in October, 1993 in non - state higher educational institution - European Humanities University (Minsk, Byelorussia). The dean of faculty is Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of all Belarus, Academician, Doctor of Theology Honoris Causa of several leading European universities.
Faculty of Theology trains specialists in the field of orthodox theology, history of Church, modern religious knowledge. Educational programs are not only dedicated to theological disciplines, traditional for orthodox educational institutions, but also to religious knowledge, to philosophical, social - economic and historical disciplines, to practical course of two modern foreign languages, courses of classical and ancient languages.
Priority is given to: Christian education in modern secular society; interrelations of Church, society and state - history, present, prospects; problems of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue; changes in religious situation in Byelorussia in conditions of transformation of post-communist society; problems of Christian ecology.
Faculty of Theology is unique, having no analogues in system of educational establishments of Republic of Belarus, trains professional theologians in sphere of modern secular education.
ii. Other Christian educational programs
Christian Educational Centre carries out series of other educational programs.
Since 1996 Centre annually entrusts Christmas premiums "Christian traditions in culture and education " to the best teachers of secondary and higher schools of Minsk.
Centre distributes theological and religious literature in educational institutions, voluntary and state organisations, libraries. It has already gratuitously distributed about 125 000 books.
International Voluntary Association « Saints’ Methodius and Cyrill Christian Educational Centre» has library, which fund is 7500 volumes of books of religious - philosophical contents in Russian and foreign languages. Library fund constantly replenishes due to the help of universities of Germany, Italy, France, USA, Christian publishing houses of Europe " Life with the God " and " Christian Russia ".
iii. Christian educational projects
Christian Educational Centre is regularly engaged in realisation of Christian educational projects. In particular we want underline following significant events in our life:
§ Ecumenical meeting (October, 1996)
§ Fifth Theological Conversations of representatives of Russian Orthodox Church and German Bishop Conference under the title " Unity and variety of Church " (May, 1998)
§ Theological Conversations with Evangelical Church of Germany (May, 1998)
§ Exhibition " From Saint Land - to all peoples " (December 1997, February 1999)
§ Round table devoted to 2000-anniversary of Christianity "Orthodoxy and Catholicism in Belarus: last, present and future " (November, 1999)
§ International "Cyrill and Methodius Readings" are annually conducted by Centre.
iv. University Church
University church - first and unique Orthodox chapel in Republic of Belarus, created at a higher educational institution.
This chapel is engaged not only in liturgical practice, it revives the best traditions of Orthodox chaplain work in university environment, especially among students. It is evident that in post-soviet conditions young people frequently face with active offer « of doubtful pleasures » (drugs, sects of every possible directions, religious and national fanaticism). To help young people find correct way in spiritual searches – is the main task of student chapel.
Christian Educational Centre Room of psychological help works at first student Church in Republic of Belarus, at Theology Faculty of EHU. Except psychological help, people can also receive help of priest - chaplain.
Room of psychological help offers the following services:
§ Stress-management training
§ Time-management training
§ Help in decision of confusing spiritual problems
§ Help in decision of conflict situations in family
§ Advises on treatment of sleeplessness, increased uneasiness, depression etc.
Room of psychological help renders offers free-of-charge to students and teachers of higher schools of Minsk.
Sunday school of Christian Educational Centre exists at student Church.
At Sunday school both children and adults are trained.
The quantity of pupils has exceeded 120 and still continues to grow.
Christian Educational Centre co-operates with Paralympic Committee and society of invalids of Republic of Belarus. Centre participated in December, 1998 in organisation and realisation of First Sport Festival among blind and visually disabled children.
At present International Voluntary Association «Christian Educational Centre» conducts large-scale project on construction of education-sport complex for disabled children.
viii. Legislative and creative initiatives
International Voluntary Association « Saints’ Methodius and Cyrill Christian Educational Centre» is the author of many legislative and creative initiatives, including active development of concept of interrelations of Church and state, reformation in sphere of education and updating of traditions of theological, religious and secular classical education in higher institutions of Byelorussia.
3. Address of the Christian Educational Centre
Address: 220030, Belarus, Minsk, av.F.Scoriny, 24.
Address for correspondence: 220013, Belarus, Minsk, p.o. 132.
E- mail:
beledufond_km@ehu.unibel.by or
info@cmc.minsk.by
Fax: (+375-17) 229-20-55
Telephones: (+375-17) 227-36-75, 227-24-36, 227-75-28, 289-11-61
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Andrej Danilov, theological faculty of the European Humanitarian University
of Minsk
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