The Laura and the Academy: in honor of the 70th anniversary of the first liturgy in the Dormition cathedral of the Trinity Laura

Abstract

The revival of the Trinity Laura in 1946 is usually seen as a separate from the Academy’s return back to the Laura in 1948. However, in this article, the A. tries to present the revival of the Laura and the Moscow Theological Academy as a single process, which was carried out as a special mission of the Russian Orthodox Church, which mission was masterminded and blessed by His Holiness Patriarch Alexius I (Simansky). There were various historical reasons and unfavorable circumstances, which hindered the Academy’s return. It returned only in 1948. In 1946 the liturgical life of St. Sergius’ Laura started up again, whereas the Academy was in the process of moving to the Novodevichy monastery. In this article, based on the archive of the Academy, the A. collects various testimonies to the Academy’s profound love for the Laura and its veritable desire to return within its walls, back to the ideal place for prayerful study. In 2016 the Laura celebrates 70^th year anniversary of the first liturgy. This event offers an opportunity to rethink the Laura’s and the Academy’s relationship during the first period of its post-war revival. This anniversary turns out to be another important unifying landmark event after the massive celebration of the 700^th year anniversary after the birth of the founder of the Trinity Laura and the 200^th year anniversary of the Academy within in confines of the Laura, which was celebrated in 2014.