E.N. Tell me a little about your school.

V.E. The school is already approaching the ten year mark, but it is still sort of functioning like a home. I stay at home and my pupils come to me. Usually, I study with people, who, after finishing school, do not abandon their fundamental work. These people are on the whole teachers, doctors, and even workers from the parish councils, that is of the church parish and of the office branches of the monasteries. All these people labor on their own walk of life combining work with catehetical activities. And to the doctors and the teachers, it is proven, that it is needed to know deeply enough the Law of God. And with regard to the present course of the lectures, it [the Law of God] is just so mastered in my school. Now it is already expanding with the calculating experience of the Catechism school and St. Philaret’s Institute of Fr. Georgi Kochetkov. I felt that the audience in your school is serious, but the main thing to me is that the first discourse lasted for four academic hours. Thus, it is, nevertheless, possible to not reduce, to not break up, and to not crumple the material. The people who gather here have passionate faith. Consequently, they do not miss [the gatherings] nor get tired and nor will they.

But in general, my activities are in the middle of Moscow, and not only did they begin among the Moscow intelligentsia in 1975, but they are continuing now for more than twenty years. Depending on the students, I sometimes change both the methods and the approach, but in any event these changes are always useful. Maybe even more useful for me than for my students. Everything, of course is accomplished with prayer and I sense that the Lord helps.