On October 6, 2026, the memorial day of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, celebrations were held in Belgorod on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the revival of the Belgorod Theological Seminary. Over three decades, 1,335 people have graduated from the theological school.
The celebration began with the Divine Liturgy at the Transfiguration Cathedral. The service was led by Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Starooskolsky, who led the seminary from 1996 to 2015. He was served by graduates of various years serving as priests in Russia and abroad. After the liturgy, in front of the icon of St. Innocent, the seminary's spiritual patron, they celebrated and read the prayer of the missionary.
At a solemn ceremony at the seminary, Metropolitan John spoke about the revival of the theological school and thanked the teachers and graduates. The bishop paid special attention to the missionary service of the students in remote dioceses, including Yakutia, Chukotka and Kamchatka.
Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, sent congratulations to the participants. He noted the importance of training missionaries and continuing the seminary's educational, scientific and publishing work in the difficult conditions of the border region. Congratulations were also expressed by representatives of the regional government and Belgorod State National Research University.
Belgorod Theological Seminary was revived in 1996 with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II. Her special focus is the training of clergymen and missionaries. Since 2021, the seminary has been operating a Mission Camp Support Center that promotes church missions in the Far East and the Far North.