The 13th Ferapontovo Readings have been opened in the Museum of Dionisy’s Frescoes today, on October 20. The conference is annually held together with the Spiritual and Educational Centre “Northern Thebaid” (Vologda) with the assistance of the OJSC “Severstal”. This year it is timed to the 700th anniversary of birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh. It will last for three days - from October 20 to 22. The subject of the event is traditional: “History and Culture of the Monasteries of the Russian North”.
Mostly children gave their reports on the first day of the conference. They came to Ferapontovo from different districts of the Vologda region: Vologda, Cherepovets, Veliky Ustiug, Totma, Sokol, the Sokol, the Verkhovazhiye, the Sheksna and the Kirillov districts. Pupils of comprehensive schools of the region, the Vologda Cadet Boarding School, the Children’s Art Centre (Totma), the Children and Youth Centre “Unity” and the Children’s Home ¹ 5 (Vologda) read their papers.
Authors of the best school reports will be awarded prize money according to the results of the Ferapontovo Readings. All researches will be published in a special book. Winners will be determined by the jury consisting of: Marina Serebryakova, initiator of the Ferapontovo Readings, research officer of the Museum of Dionisy’s Frescoes; Irina Parshukova, director of the Museum of Dionisy’s Frescoes; Nadezhda Tikhomirova, director of the Spiritual and Educational Centre “Northern Thebaid”; rural dean of the Kirillov district Vladimir (Kolosov); Father Superior of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery Ignaty (Mochanov); senior priest of the Church of St. Nil Sorsky Alexiy Mokievsky.
Pupils of gymnasiums, students, employees of Russian museums and professional researchers will take part in the conference during the other two days. In particular, it is expected to listen to the reports of specialists from Moscow, Kaluga, Vologda, Rostov the Great, Kirillov and Ferapontovo.
