It is the sixth time when the Summer Theological Institute (STI) has unfolded his education activity in the “Shvakshty’s” camp. It was situated on the bang of the pure see the Large Shvakshty a pictorial place in the Naroch region. Here was realized an idea of the Christian Education Center in the name of st. Mefody and Kirill to organize a camp were lay people of different professions (Medicine workers, teachers, psychologists, physics, mathematics, journalists and others) and also future priests could have possibilities to study theology. Every year the list of lectures is renovated and added. This time the themes of these studies were ecumenism and Church’s mission, science, religion and Bible in the Slavonic culture, Islamic studies, and exegetics of New Testament, psychology and religion, Christianity in Russian literature. An unexpectedness thing for everybody was studies about tending Aids illness. But topicality of this themes is difficult to undervalue. Statistics shows us that every day more 17 people suffer from Aids.

It being known that this figures in reality is ten times as much figures as in statistics. Church can be useful in a fight with “the plague of the 20^th century” according to opinion of lecturer Vladimir Kabanov. It can help to substitute public fear and even contempt feeling for such kind of illness for Christian love our neighbor.  The question about participation of HIV-infected people in the Sacrament of Eucharist was very important for future pastors. Investigations have showed that for infection through the mouth’s cavity it is necessary to drink 10 liters of infected saliva. So it couldn’t be any worrying according to the medicine standpoint if not to be in contact with blood.

There were classes in the ecumenism and Church’s mission in the Summer Theological Institute. These themes are a very significant for restoration of adequate perception such kind of ideas as ecumenism and mission by members of orthodox communities. These lessons became another novelty in the Institute. “That all of them may be one” (John 17:21) – said God, - in this idea an interconfessional dialog and aspiration of Christian confessions for mutual understanding don’t have to inspire harts’ members of Church with fear and indignation but hope for realization unity which was proclaimed by Jesus Christ. Audience of Institute was leaded to this logical conclusion by archpriest Vladimir Fedorov from Sanct-Petersburg.  Absolute majority lectors of Summer Theological Institute were stuff of St. Andrews Biblical Theological Institute (BTI) in Moscow. The Christian Education Centre and the Bible-Theological Institute are organizing the Summer Theological Institute together during sixth years. Professors of the STI were competent in a sport games in the open air as good and have taken part in the searching of mosquito’s heart together with audience during the breaks.

Everybody has noticed a very good combination of lectures, rest and good food. Visiting churches of the Naroch lands was added to the education classes as cultural program. Landscape’s attire in the village Mosar around the church was especially impressing. This corner of Belarus became “Garden of Eden”      thanks to the Roman Catholic priest Josef Bul’ka. It turned out that he is a very skillful to fight with drunkenness. He rescues his village from alcoholism very actively and advises to do the same.  Future pastors of Orthodox Church have got useful recommendations how to launch antialcoholic war.    

Participants have received guests in their spare time. The Christian Education Centre (CEC) has organized a visit in the Summer Theological Institute over group of leadership representatives of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Mr. Huibert van Beek an Executive Secretary of “Church and Ecumenical Relations department” headed this delegation. Mr. Huibert van Beek and Mr. Dovgiallo came to an agreement about continuation and development of collaboration the WCC and the CEC in education programs for laity and theologians. Some years ago Exarchate of Belarusian Orthodox Church has charged the Christian Education Centre with coordination of “Orthodox Laity Academy” projects. The Summer Education Centre is a part of these projects. The WCC in the person of archpriest Vladimir Fedorov who is responsible to Geneva for education work in East and West Europe has confirmed authorities of the Christian Education Center in the name of st. Mefody and Kirill.  To the point in the plans of the STI on 2005 is to give a course of lectures on history and activities of WCC.  At the same time the Christian Education Centre is going to intensify education work in projects against AIDS.  

This camp was traditionally visited by metropolitan of Minsk and Sloutsk Filaret and Grigory Anatolevich Dovdiallo his deputy in Christian Education Centre. Metropolitan Filaret has wished pedagogues and audience “to life many years” one more time. A long living is necessary for Summer Theological Institute indeed. Of course nobody has became an theologian in two weeks but existence  of such kind of Institute – a very important contribution to enlightenment of an orthodox youth in different activity fields and forming correct understanding Christian values and cultural traditions of the Church, its role in an public life.