As part of the celebration of the Days of Slavic Writing and Culture, there was presented an educational project entitled The Russian Spiritual and Moral Culture in Images and Theological Reflection in Saratov State University on May 25.

The exhibition is located in the hall of the 2nd floor in Bldg. 12. The project was prepared by the Faculty of Philosophy, SSU, Saratov Orthodox Theological Seminary, and the Saratov Diocesan Administration of the Russian Orthodox Church with the support of the Government of Saratov Region.

The opening ceremony was attended by Minister of Internal Policy and Public Relations of the region Natalia Troshina, Head of Priority Projects and Programmes Elena Yelina, Director of the Radishchev Saratov State Art Museum Elena Galaktionova, Adviser to the General Director  Kalinina, Deputy Director for Development of Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore Larisa Solomonova, Director of the Chernyshevsky Museum-Estate Elena Manova, Rector of the Saratov Orthodox Theological Seminary Archpriest Sergei Shturbabin, Director of the Pokrov Orthodox Classical Gymnasium named after the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky Priest Yaroslav Kozdrin, professors, university students and pupils of the 7th grade of the Russian Orthodox Classical Gymnasium named after St. Sergius of Radonezh.

The tour for the guests was conducted by undergraduates of the Faculty of Philosophy Elena Shtokgamer and Viktor Bochkarev. The exposition is dedicated to the history of the Russian state through the prism of the spiritual heritage and moral values of the Russian people. The reproductions and photographs presented at the exhibition illustrate the materials of the course in fundamentals of Russian statehood, which will be introduced in all Russian universities from the new academic year, and are also the basis for visual accompaniment of thematic blocks on social studies.

The exhibition consists of the following sections: The Byzantine Origins of Russian Culture, How Ancient Russia Formed, How the Russian Kingdom Formed, The Imperial Period in the History of the Russian State, The History of the Soviet Union, and The Culture of the Region in Modern Russia. A special place at the exhibition is given to photocopies of paintings dedicated to the Saratov region. They illustrate the beauty of their native land, as well as the labour valour and contribution of our compatriots to the cause of the great Victory over the Fascist invaders.

The exhibition presents digital works presented by the Radishchev Saratov State Art Museum, the Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore, and the Chernyshevsky Museum-Estate.

‘The establishment of Russia as a civilization begins with an appeal to the Christian ideals and principles of the Byzantine state system. Like Byzantium, a symphony of secular power and the church is being established in Russia. The Christian values proclaimed in the church sermon are becoming basic for our fatherland,’ the presenter explained. In the centre of the first composition, guests of the exhibition were able to see the ancient Russian icon of the Holy Trinity, which is considered the pinnacle of Andrei Rublev's creativity. Here you can also see the works of painters Alexander Ivanov, Vasily Polenov, and Konstantin Yuon.

The second block is dedicated to the events related to the initial period of the establishment of the Russian state. For example, the painting by Pyotr Zabolotsky shows a landmark in the history of Russia, the plot how Prince Vladimir chose the religion, known for the Tale of Bygone Years.

The third block is dedicated to the rise of the Moscow state and the early years of the tsar dynasty. Ivan IV, popularly called the Terrible, is considered to be the first Russian tsar. Stanislav Rastvorovsky's canvas depicts Ermak's ambassadors at the Red Porch in front of Tsar Ivan the Terrible.

The last sections of the exposition are addressed to the modern stages of the development of the state, from 1914 to the present. The works show both political and cultural events covering this time period: the creation of a socialist state, the Civil and Great Patriotic War, Yuri Gagarin's flight into space, international cooperation, and others.

One of the blocks is dedicated to landscapes reflecting the richness and diversity of Russian nature. Here you can see the works of Ivan Aivazovsky, Aleksei Savrasov, Ivan Shishkin, Boris Kustodiev, and other artists.

According to Elena Yelina, such an educational project is of great importance for the university, especially for students of humanities. ‘This exposition has different meanings. The reproductions presented at the exhibition are made from paintings whose meaning is connected with the history of our country, its heroic pages, with the artistic embodiment of the best features of the Russian national character – devotion, loyalty, self-sacrifice. At the same time, for children who have an openness to art and painting, this exhibition will serve as an excellent occasion to develop their art history and cultural potential. All students of our university should definitely see it.’

She expressed gratitude to the directors of museums for their assistance in creating the project, as well as for cooperation with the university in different spheres.

Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy Mikhail Orlov spoke about the stages of work on the exhibition and those who took an active part in its organisation. ‘This is a pilot project, and we plan to expand its concept, in the future to replenish the collection of digital copies with new exhibits. With the support of our partners, we were finally able to turn all our plans into reality.’

Deputy Director for Development of the Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore Larisa Solomonova presented the university as a gift an album of works by a Saratov artist Evgenii Timofeyev, whose work is also presented at the exhibition.

The exhibited materials have educational and educational significance, are designed to help teachers and students in the study of social and humanitarian disciplines, the foundations of Orthodox culture, Orthodox theology, religious studies and cultural studies.

You can see the exhibition in SSU Bldg. 12 on the second floor.