Kiev Theological Academy
The Kyivan Theological Academy and Seminary is the oldest college of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is situated in Kyiv and traces its history back to 1615, when Yelisey Pletenetsky founded a "brotherhood school" at the Theophany Monastery.
Several decades later, Peter Mohyla merged it with a newly established lavra school into the Mohyla Collegium (Latin: Collegium Kijovense Mohileanum). The Collegium alumni included Innokentiy Hizel, Lazar Baranovych, Dmytriy Tuptalo, Stephan Yavorskyi, Teofan Prokopovich and many other state activists and Orthodox clerics who helped reform the Russian Orthodox Church under the auspices of Patriarch Nikon and Peter the Great. In 1658 under the terms of the Treaty of Hadiach the Collegium obtained the status of an Academy, similar to Cracow Academy. This was recognized in 1694 by the Russian tsar Ivan V, then reaffirmed by Peter I in 1701.
After the Kyiv Mohyla Academy was closed in 1817 by the decree of Alexander I of Russia, in 1819 Kyiv Theological Academy, was reopened, as a clerical institution. In contrast to its predecessor, the Kyiv Mohyla Academy, admissions for the Kyiv Theological Academy became open only to children of the existing clergy.
The Kyivan Theological Academy continued under this name until its closure by the Soviets in 1919. Some unofficial courses were held even at a later period. The academy was revived in 1992 and is based on the grounds of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate operates its own theological academy on the grounds of the Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv. It also claims succession to the Kyiv Mohyla Academy, as does the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, a strictly lay institution.
External links
- Website of Kyivan Theological Academy of the Moscow Patriarchate
- Website of Kyivan Orthodox Theological Academy of the Kyivan Patriarchate