Another presidential educational center will open at the monastery in Pechory

The second historical and cultural forum “Origins” was solemnly opened in the Pskov Pechory. Young families, educators and activists will become participants in traditionalist programs. In the future, the forum organized by Rosmolodezh will be transformed into a year-round educational center of the same name with a family focus. The Pskov-Pechersky Holy Dormition Monastery provided a venue for events and accommodation for the participants. Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, noted that “Istoki” will become the fourth platform in a series of presidential centers of educational and patriotic orientation.

The city of Pechory grew up around the Pskov-Pechersky Holy Dormition Monastery. According to legend, at the end of the 14th century, the monk Jonah, who fled from the Livonian region from the persecution of Catholics, cut down a monastic skete in the branchy caves of Pskov – in fact, “pechers”, which over a hundred years grew to a monastery. Since then, the monastery has undergone a dozen invasions and twice lived under non-Russian rule: as part of the first independent Estonia and under the Nazi occupiers. The Soviet leadership also made a rare exception for local monastics – until the very perestroika in the RSFSR, only two monasteries worked openly (the second was the Trinity-Sergius Lavra).

Since 2021, the federal educational and patriotic family forum “Origins” has been annually organized at the site of the pilgrimage center at the monastery. Families with children, teachers and youth activists are invited to be inspired by history, attend master classes (from embroidery on a towel to gardening) and relax in a decent camp atmosphere. The participants settle in a dormitory for seminarians, eat in the refectory, and, according to some, listen to lectures on Orthodox pedagogy not without pleasure. “No, without fundamentalism, only universal moments,” the listeners assured the Kommersant correspondent.

In 2023, the grand opening of the forum was timed to coincide with the Day of Love, Family and Fidelity celebrated on July 8. After lunch, the children were sent to the local cinema to see the Soviet film adaptation of The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish. At that time, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Sergei Kiriyenko, who had previously (also behind closed doors) had time to inspect the growing infrastructure of the pilgrimage center and, as it turned out, the future year-round educational site based on “Origins”.

The official opening concert that followed was preceded by the Chamomile Parade. Thoughtful after meeting with a representative of the Kremlin, the parents reunited with their children who had become cultured and the discharged column proceeded to the open stage to life-affirming, glorifying the family way of life chants from the column. Daisies (a symbol of the Day of love, family and fidelity) in the hands of the young participants in the procession replaced the yellow and white balloons that burst (not without the intervention of the owners) fervently. The adults managed to stop the cannonade by the time Sergei Kiriyenko unrolled a congratulatory telegram from the president. “There is a large and varied program ahead: lectures and debates, excursions and master classes, meetings with interesting people,” the head of state admonished the forum participants. “And, of course, you have a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with the unique historical architectural monuments of the hospitable Pskov land, to touch to ancient spiritual shrines.

The significance of the location was also emphasized by Mr. Kiriyenko himself: “This is the land on which (opens.— “b”) the meaning of real origins: those traditions, those cultural and historical values, relying on which Russia can always confidently move forward, cope with any challenge, no matter what our opponents throw at us. It is in these traditions, in these roots and support, that our great strength is.” In this regard, the president’s decision to open another educational center in Pskov is not accidental, the first deputy head of the administration emphasized and added that the “family” of such centers officially becomes large today. “People have different talents and different inclinations,” Sergey Kiriyenko later explained. “That’s why specialized year-round centers appear in the presidential program. The Senezh management workshop is state administration and management of large companies, Tavrida in Crimea is for creative youth, Mashuk is for teachers and mentors.” Russia’s ill-wishers, Mr. Kiriyenko pointed out, are trying to tear the younger generation away from traditions and roots, and the emergence of the “Istoki” center in the place of their (sources) immediate focus, as planned, will seriously complicate the ideological adversary’s accomplishment of this task.

However, the main goal, in the movement towards which platforms like “Origins” are unfolding, remains the creation of “conditions in which every young person will be able to find his talent and realize it,” Sergei Kiriyenko said. Therefore, the Pskov “Origins” are related, for example, to “Sirius”, the “Knowledge” society, the “Big Break” competition and even the “Leaders of Russia” program. “A system of open competitive selection has been built everywhere, as in the Leaders of Russia competition, where any person in the country can apply without communication, blat, money, only thanks to his talent, hard work, will to win, to occupy any, the highest positions in the state ”, said Mr. Kiriyenko, emphasizing that, according to polls, the value of self-realization occupies a prominent place in the system of coordinates of modern youth.

Head of the Pskov region Mikhail Vedernikov addressed the youth directly in his speech: “Study our great history, culture, traditions, a huge number of ancient monuments and temples. It’s all yours! Let it all charge you and inspire you to new achievements.” At the same time, the governor thanked Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) of Pskov and Porkhov for the “idea and initiative” to set up an educational center in Pechory. The Metropolitan himself was laconic and said that he was very glad to see the guests on Pskov land. At the end of the official part of the event, the head of Rosmolodezh, Ksenia Razuvaeva, congratulated the forum participants on the holiday and recalled that “the family is the basis and framework of the entire society and country.” “And we, Rosmolodezh, together with you will preserve, cherish and increase our family values ​​and traditions,” she promised.

Grigory Leiba