Spiritual life

Spiritual life at European Christian academy is featured by:

  • Morning devotions at the Chapel at 9.40 AM,
  • Evening devotions at the Chapel at 18.00 PM,
  • Recollections on various topics of spiritual growth meeting students’ interests – every semester,
  • Meetings and discussions with clergy of traditional Christian Churches about the role of the Church in the life of society,
  • Theoretical seminar “Anthropology of hesychasm” in the last Thursday of each month (for both students and teachers),
  • Visits to Orthodox monasteries and holy places (to Crete, Estonia etc.).

On April 17, 2023, ECA lecturer Juris Jefuni delivered a lecture “The Emergence of a New Theological Agenda in Orthodoxy against the Background of the War in Ukraine”. The lecture was held on April 17th, 2023. Event was organized and was received with great interest by the students and public audience and became evident from the lively discussion that followed.

Rector’s meeting with Latvian Rabbi Dr. Menachem Barkakhan

On May 5, 2023, at the invitation of Rabbi Barkakhan, Prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane met with the chairman of the board of the Latvian Jewish religious congregation and association “Shamir”, the Riga Ghetto and the Latvian Holocaust Museum, Dr. Menahem Barkakhan. Issues of mutual cooperation were discussed during the meeting.

Meeting with President of Latvia

In April 20, 2023, President of Latvia met Rector of European Christian Academy prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane and visiting prof. of the Academy, DrHC George v. Durtanossky, professor in Calligraphy and Paleography (Germany, Macedonia), head of SCRIPRORIUM at ECA. Prof. Durtanossky presented to the President the hand-written Preamble of Latvian Constitution, which is an excellent peace of art.

Celebrating 75 years of Israel in Riga

75th anniversary of the State of Israel were celebrated in Riga, April 20, 2023. Ambassador of Israel HE Sharon Rappoport-Palgi in her address in both Latvian and English reminded rich historical and cultural links between Latvia and Israel, and sincerely welcomed all invited guests. Rector of European Christian Academy prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane greeted the Ambassador […]

Icon exhibition in Easter

During easter time, 2023, (April – May) an Icon exhibition was open for visitors at European Christian Academy. Icons were painted by both students and staff, visitors could oberve the icon painting (“writing”) process, take part in workshops lead by icon painter Olesya Aboliņa.

Lectures on Babylonian Talmud by prof. Haim Weiss (Ben Gurion University, Israel)

In February 13-16, 2023, Christian Academy in cooperation with Israel Embassy in Latvia, Ambassador Mrs. Sharon Rappoport-Palgi, organized lectures on Anthropologcial questions in Babylonian Talmud, the most important text of Judaism by world-famous judaist prof. Haim Weiss (Ben-Gurion University in the Negev, Israel) at Aula Minor of University of Latvia.
Lectures attracted professionals from helping professions – social workers, social pedagogues, religious scientists historians of culture, policy makers.
One week intensive course opened up possibility to discuss modern issue of human identity crisis. The discussions were held in a very welcoming atmosphere, clarified many questions of modern philosophy and history of reveleation given to Jews.
European Christian Academy has cooperation agreement with Ben-Gurion University in the Negev and Centre of Jewish Studies.
By this we sincerely thank Israel Embassy in Latvia for making this event possible!

Exhibition of Icons in Balvi Center of Sacred culture

We welcome to attend the Icon exhibition of Orthodox Icons painted by young artists, graduates from European Christian Academy. The exhibition is open in Balvi city, Center of Sacred culture, from January 30 till March 25; meeting with artists is scheduled for March 25. Iconography is rarity today, and graduates of the Academy keep the […]

Stamp commemorating “The Gospel from Jersika” presented

In August 22, 2020, Latvian Orthodox Church in cooperation with “Latvijas Pasts” and Latvian Christian academy presented postal stamp commemorating 750 years since the “Gospel from Jersika” was copied by Latvian Orthodox believer named Jurģis. It is the oldest known Gospel text from Latvia. The presentation was done in Riga Latvian Society House and was attended by President of Latvian Academy of Sciences Dr. Ojārs Spārītis, Director of Fundamental Library of Latvian University Dr. Venta Kocere, clergym artists and academics. Rector of Latvian Christian academy adressed the audience with extended history overview illuminating development of Orthodox Christianity in Latvia.

Discussion about the future of Europe

Rector of Latvian Christian academy prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane was invited to attend the discussion hosted by the President Emeritus of European Council
Herman Van Rompuy with Victoria Martin de la Torre, the author of the book “Europe, the Leap into the Unknown”, and Fr. Martin Mayer from “Jesuit European Social centre”. The discussion will be joined by Mr. Jerome Vignon, long-term head of the “Semaines Sociales de France” think-tank group and other members. The discussion is organized by “Chapel for Europe” (Brussels) virtual cafe.

International seminar for students on “European Sacred Art Heritage for Social Europe of Hope”

An international seminar (online) for students “European Sacred Art Heritage for Social Europe of Hope” was hosted by Latvian Christian Academy in March 20, 2020. Art department students presented four reports which won special Award in the Competition “Best Research paper in 2019”. The seminar was attended by Klaipeda Art College (LT), Orthodox Academy of Crete (GR) with presentations on Ecology issues reflected in Art.

Excursion of art students to unique monasteries in Pskov

Students of the Biblical art study programme together with their teacher, Icon painter K.Tambovskaya, visited the world-famous monastery in Pechori (Pskov, Russia). They visited the Kremlin, its splendid Cathedral of St. Trinity, churches of John the Baptist and St. Basil the Great, and historical reservation of the old Russian architecture “Поганкины палаты”. They saw icons […]