In March 2020, for the first time in 30 years, a non-monk became the rector of the Odesa UOC Theological Seminary - Archpriest Dimytriy Yakovenko, head of the department of religious education and catechesis of the Odesa diocese, abbot of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on ul. Bernardazzi, member of the Diocesan Council.
In a conversation with ElitExpert, the rector of the seminary told Fr how the Odessa seminary works during the pandemic and what has changed in the spiritual institution after his appointment.
Odessa Theological Seminary - the oldest educational institution in the south of our country. The seminary is a spiritual educational institution that trains priests and churchmen of the Orthodox Church, theologians, teachers of church schools, regents of church choirs and masters of church sewing.
The seminary was founded in 1838, and its first rector was the outstanding church scholar and hierarch Archimandrite (later Bishop of Chygyrinsky) Porfiry (Uspensky). Destroyed during the atheistic persecution of the Church in 1918, in 1944 the Odesa Theological School rose from the ashes of oblivion, in order to remain the only seminary in Ukraine operating in opposition to the state ideology for many years. During this time, about 3000 graduates left the walls of the seminary. Among them are such prominent hierarchs as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Vladimir (Sabodan), Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, permanent members of the Holy Synod of the UOC: Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail, Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol and many other prominent archpastors.
- How did you become a minister of the Church? Did you grow up in a priest's family?
- Someone comes to faith through reflection, suffering. I have a gifted faith. I was born into a family of veterinary doctors. My mother is a believer. She also insisted that she and her father get married. When we opened a church in the town of Pomoshnoi, we started going to services as a whole family. My mother told me that when I was little, I put on a veil and gave communion to my sister with jam, and I confessed to my mother with a towel. Then I was taken to the temple by a passenger. And after school, I entered the Odessa seminary. And after that, he went to the Moscow Theological Academy, where he met his wife Yulia. She studied to become a regent of the choir. After the seminary, they are sent to serve in parishes, and after the Academy, they teach in theological seminaries. Initially, we were offered to go to Khabarovsk, but the rector of the Odessa seminary wrote a letter to send me to Ukraine. I began to teach sectology, then the history of the Russian church. In order for students to know more, he opened a history circle. He also served at the Cathedral.
— What did you start with when you were appointed rector of the theological seminary?
— Because I wanted to transform something, improve it. I have many plans, but there are realities of life. When you are just a teacher, you look at one thing at a time, and when you are responsible for 120 students - that is 120 different lives, different problems - and also for the teaching staff, then the outlook changes. I started with renovations to improve the conditions for teaching. Due to the pandemic, it turned out to be very difficult, but we were able to renovate the building, floor, walls, and furniture. We have good food. All conditions are there to study.
One of my main goals is to raise the level of our educational institution. We provide undergraduate education according to the Bologna system. I would like us to have a master's degree. For this, scientific works, a professorship are needed. Now we are working on the development of a pedagogy course that is necessary for teaching.
In addition, I head the department of religious education and catechesis of the Odessa Diocese, supervise Easter schools, organize festivals, exhibitions, charity events. A lot of work. But the main thing is that she likes it.
— Last year, the Odessa Seminary celebrated 75 years since the resumption of its work...
- Yes. Odessa Seminary is the oldest. We respect history and traditions, but keep up with modernity. In the 19th century, the clergy was considered a lower class for the nobility. Children of priests usually entered the seminary after theological school, which they finished at the age of 12. And they studied at the seminary for another six years, studying educational and theological subjects. In Soviet times, mature, conscious people usually entered after passing through the army. And now they come right after school, mostly by choice, by choice.
— Odessa seminary is considered one of the best in Ukraine. From which regions do they come to you?
— From all over Ukraine, even from Moldova. Our graduates work all over the world. His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan Viktor Markiyanovych) and many other well-known theologians studied and taught in our Odessa Theological Seminary.
— How is training during permanent quarantine?
— The pandemic has created challenges for the whole world. Our task is to preserve the seminary and the educational process. Laptops were set up for students in the classroom, classes were held with the teacher via Viber. Students study philosophy, logic, rhetoric, Latin and ancient Greek languages. In general, we try to prepare worthy pastors of the church.
By the way, ordinary students rest on weekends. We don't have weekends. From Monday to Friday - lessons. On Saturday and Sunday - prayer.
Few people know that the well-known writer Konstantin Paustovsky, who made Odessa famous with the story "Time of the Great Expected", spent the night in the cell of our seminary. Arriving in Odessa, he stopped at the Afonskoye podvorye near the railway station. But I decided to spend the day closer to the sea. And he arrived at the monastery at the 16th station of Bolshoi Fontan, spent the night in his cell in meditation. It was here that he heard the Great Lent prayer of Ephraim the Syrian, which he later read in difficult moments of his life.
Now this room houses the office of the vice-rector, archpriest Andrei Nikolaida.
— What do you wish for our readers in our difficult times?
— I want to wish everyone faith and patience. I hope that our prayers to the Lord for victory over the epidemic will be heard. And most importantly, be strong in spirit, strengthening it with faith.
ElitExpert Help:
Archpriest Dimitry Yakovenko was born in 1982. From 1988 to 1999, he studied at secondary comprehensive school No. 3 of Pomoshnaya Kirovohrad region, which he graduated with a gold medal.
In 1999, he entered the Odessa Theological Seminary. In 2003, he entered the Moscow Theological Academy at the church-historical department. Awarded a scholarship named after Schiarchimandrite John (Maslov).
On April 18, 2006, he was ordained a deacon. On August 28, 2006, he was ordained a presbyter. Since August 17, 2006, he has been teaching at the seminary, and since 2014, he has been the chairman of the Diocesan Department of Religious Education and Catechism.
On August 22, 2018, he was appointed abbot of the Church of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene.
Married Raises three children.
