LIFE IN THE SEMINARY OF THE FACULTY OF ORTHODOX THEOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRESOV

A VIEW OF A STUDENT OF THEOLOGY ON THE LIFE IN THE SEMINARY OF THE FACULTY OF ORTHODOX THEOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRESOV

The Seminary is situated near the Faculty. It is a nice, newly reconstructed building in which there is a temple, a library, and a dining hall. The rooms are designed for 2 or 3 students who spend their time relaxing but also studying here. The common room is a place where students can meet for discussions, but can also watch TV or video. A kitchen is at students' disposal too, equipped with a cooker and a fridge. The dining hall with its own kitchen is designed for 150 people and can easily manage such event as "Bohojavlenska" dinner for employees of the eparchy, of the Faculty, for students, and possibly, for the sponsors of both the Faculty and the Seminary. The library of the Seminary preserves and provides various books and other materials for students' preparation.
The center of the complex is undoubtedly the Temple of St. Jan Bohoslov which is a pride not only of the college but also of the Church and the city of Presov. It shelters a work of art of enormous spiritual and cultural value in the form of icons which decorate the whole interior of the temple. Therefore when we enter the temple, it is as if we entered a different world, a true house of God, sanctified by prayers of believers.

Icon entitled
"Uspenia Presviatoy Bohoroditsy"

Near the Seminary the Faculty itself is situated. It is a reconstructed manor-house adjusted to the needs of the Faculty. The main building has four lecturing rooms with modern equipment and with piano to facilitate the training of singing. Then there are offices of the dean's residence, and the main room of the building - an assembly hall. In the adjacent building there is one more lecturing room and a bookshop as well.
An ordinary day of a student begins at 6 am. A quarter of an hour later he is already in the temple at a service - usually a holy liturgy or "utrenia". Only on Mondays students say their morning prayers on their own. All services are performed by a clergyman and two or three students, appointed according to the schedule of duties. Presence at every service is required from all students which has its educational and professional reasons. At services students can develop their spiritual life and at the same time become familiar with the practical side of the ceremony. Students of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year read their sermons here. After the morning service students, together with the clergyman, meet in the dining room, say a prayer, and have their breakfast. Then they leave for their lectures. The time after lunch students devote to their interests. Some of them sing in the students' choir or in the choir of the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky. Others work on publishing of ISTINA magazine. At the back of the Seminary there is a studio for hopeful iconographs. Many of our students are members of the Brotherhood of Orthodox Youth in Slovakia - SYNDESMOS. The Faculty arranges for its students also admission to the swimming pool of the Faculty of Sciences and Humanities of the University of Presov. In the basement of the Seminary there is a small but quite well equipped gym.
At 5 p.m. the evening services start and at 6 p.m. students meet in the dining hall again to have their dinner. After dinner students may visit cinema or theatre, or study languages at a language school. Evening prayers begin at 9 p.m. Every other weekend students are allowed to visit their families. During Christmas and Easter they may spend one to two weeks with the'" families. Summer holidays, which students use for relax and recovery, take almost three months.
The dormitory - the Seminary of the FOT is governed by M.A. Emil Jarkovske as its head, and Sergei Cuper is both an educator and administrator of the Seminary Temple of St. Jan Bohoslov.

Written by R. Ivan, a student of the FOT Presov

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Page prepared by Walter Maksimovich
E-mail: walter@lemko.org