Applications for participation in the contest "Volunteer of St. Seraphim of Sarov — 2026" have started, aimed at supporting initiators, managers and participants of volunteer projects, increasing their social status, popularization and development of the volunteer movement.
The competition is held with the blessing of Metropolitan George of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas as part of the activities of the Board of Trustees for the Development of the Sarov and Diveevskaya monasteries. The competition is supported by the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs. The competition is included in the church-wide youth work plan of the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church and is aimed at submitting already implemented volunteer projects. Only individuals over the age of 18 can participate.
The purpose of the competition is to develop Orthodox volunteerism, support authors, managers and participants of volunteer projects, and promote the dissemination and replication of the most effective practices of volunteerism.
There are three competitive areas of projects:
1. The revival of Orthodox shrines and objects of historical and cultural heritage;
2. Organization and holding of educational, educational and cultural events;
3. Social service.
Each participant can submit only one application in the chosen direction of the competition.
The participants of this competition, which was held for the first time in 2020 as part of the project to revive the Sarov and Diveevskaya monasteries, are traditionally representatives of subordinate institutions of Russian Railways, Rosatom State Corporation, social and cultural institutions, leading specialists in the engineering and technical field, medical workers, students, specialists from educational institutions and structural divisions. Russian Orthodox Churches, large families, "silver" volunteers.
Over the years, more than 1,200 volunteers from 43 regions of the Russian Federation, as well as four regions of the Republic of Belarus, have participated in the competition.
Five issues of the Anthology of Good Deeds collection have been published with the materials of the winners — the best practices in the field of volunteerism and social service, assistance to military personnel, preservation of national traditions and values, protection of Russian history and culture from intentional distortions. The materials of the collection can be used as methodological manuals for training teams of volunteers in certain areas of activity, as well as as materials for conducting thematic classes of an educational nature.
The authors of the best projects will be awarded and invited to the Serafimo-Diveevskaya Monastery (Nizhny Novgorod Region) for the final forum, where they will be able to participate in seminars, discussions, round tables, and communicate with leading experts, specialists, and heads of federal and regional authorities.

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The Volunteer of St. Seraphim of Sarov contest is part of the program Named after St. Seraphim of Sarov, which is a humanitarian component of the complex of events for the revival of the Sarov and Diveevo monasteries.
The program includes the contests "Serafimovsky teacher", "Volunteer of St. Seraphim of Sarov", "Serafimovskaya School of Ministry", "Serafimovsky doctor" and "Serafimovskaya sister of Mercy". The projects are implemented by the St. Seraphim of Sarov Charitable Foundation as part of the development of the Arzamas- Diveevo—Sarov pilgrimage and tourism cluster.
The Serafimov Teacher competition has been held since 2005. The contests "Volunteer of St. Seraphim of Sarov", "Serafimovskaya School of Ministry" and "Serafimovsky Doctor", which includes the project "Serafimovskaya Sister of Mercy", started in 2020.