With the blessing of Metropolitan Isidore of Smolensk and Dorogobuzhsky, a three-day seminar on spiritual support and psychological assistance to direct and indirect participants, including those suffering from chemical addictions, began at the Smolensk Theological Seminary on June 8, 2026.
The seminar participants are clergymen from all the deaneries of the Smolensk Diocese and Orthodox psychologists of diocesan organizations. Along with theoretical classes, the training program includes various practice-oriented modules.
The seminar was organized by the St. John of Kronstadt Charitable Foundation as part of the project "May your Light Shine before Men", supported by the Presidential Grants Foundation. The seminar was co-organized by the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, the Commission of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church for Church Education and Deaconry, and the Smolensk Diocese.
The seminar was led by Metropolitan Isidore. The bishop addressed the participants of the event with a welcoming speech:
"I consider it significant to hold today's event. The involvement of the clergy of the Smolensk Diocese in this work is extremely important. The war has been going on for the fifth year now, and efforts are required by the state, the professional community and, of course, the Russian Orthodox Church to support the participants in the conflict. And we can make these efforts to the fullest extent, including through the participation of the clergy in the escort and, perhaps, even in the rehabilitation of the participants of the SVO.
By SVO participants, we mean not only its direct participants, soldiers, but also their family members, who are also, if you will, direct, involved participants in SVO, since a soldier who has returned from the front and is in the family fully shares with his family the problems he faced during the special military operations".
Then Archpriest Georgy Artarian spoke about the goals and objectives of the upcoming work, outlined the range of topics that are planned to be worked out during the seminar.
After the introductory part, the seminar participants completed theoretical and practical exercises planned as part of the program of the first day of the seminar.