A place where knowledge is light

Do you know that once one of the first female diocesan schools was opened in the city of Vitebsk? The pupils of that institution were educated in a building located on Gogol Street, 6. Vitebsk regional Executive Committee is situated there now. The synod of the Belarusian Orthodox Church decided to recreate the religious school in 2013.  It is known that it will be in the Holy Spirit Convent.

The revival

Girls aged 17 to 35 years will be able to enter Vitebsk religious school. The main condition for entering will be the availability of a secondary or higher education. It has already become known that the training period will be only 3 years. If you are interested, you can get further information about the studied disciplines in the Convent.

The patronage of the Empress

Walking around the city, you will be able easily to see the building of the former female diocesan school in Vitebsk.  Imagine how this just a simple three-storeyed building was once a real home for girls. This orthodox school, built in 1901, was opened mainly for the daughters of priests. The pupils studied both Scripture and pedagogy, geography. The girls learned to play musical instruments and received a professional education. The schoolgirls acquired knowledge on how to run a household. Works in the garden as well as medical courses were obligatory to attend.  

The program was becoming more and more complicated, and the future graduates began to study physics and literature. They could work after finishing seven years of studying. The girls mainly worked as tutors or nurses. It should be noted that Vitebsk female diocesan school had a high status because it was under the patronage of the Empresses: at first it was Maria Aleksandrovna and then Maria Feodorovna.  

It has preserved to our days

The girls lived in the building of the diocesan school. The kitchen was on the ground floor, and bedrooms were on the second floor. You will hardly be able to get inside the building, but do not get upset. The building outside has perfectly preserved to our days as well. It is interesting when the school was opened (it happened in 1864) the building was not three-storeyed. But the building that has survived till our days was designed only in the very beginning of the 20th century. The architects were P. Vinogradov and A. Pavlovsky.

Let’s stroll

The architecture of the building impresses. Many tourists even note here Petersburg trail. And it is no coincidence because the school was under the patronage of Royal persons. Without any luxury, this building is full of light now. It seems that it is imbued with the spirit of knowledge that has been gained here by the pupils. Numerous tourists who are walking through the city always notice the building of the former female diocesan school in Vitebsk. It does not stand out for something special against the background of the general architectural ensemble of the city, but it has something unique and extant. Maybe it is that particular light.