On October 3, 2026, an Assembly day was held at the Church-wide Postgraduate and Doctoral School named after Saints Cyril and Methodius. The celebrations were timed to coincide with the patronal feast of the Church of the Martyrs Michael and Theodore of Chernigov of the Patriarchal Chernigov compound, on the territory of which the educational institution is located.
Bishop Seraphim of Istra led the festive Divine Liturgy with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. He was co-served by the rector of the OCAD, Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, the clergy of the metochion and guests in holy orders.
At the solemn ceremony, Vladyka Seraphim read out his Patriarchal congratulations and wished the teachers, staff and students God's help in their labors. Archpriest Maxim Kozlov spoke about the development of cooperation with the Higher School of Economics, the prospects of educational programs and successful recruitment to graduate school. The Rector also stressed the importance of preserving the culture of reading in the context of the spread of artificial intelligence.
Alexandra Nikiforova, Associate Professor of the OCAD, delivered the opening speech "The Sinai Hiding Place: the discovery of the ancient Liturgy of the Christian East." She spoke about the ancient manuscripts of the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai and their significance for the study of liturgical traditions.
During the celebration, the teachers and staff were presented with church awards. OCAD professor Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev received a diploma and a badge of Doctor of Church History. The celebration ended with a concert by the choir of the Patriarchal Chernigov Metochion.