1. The Patriarchal University Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete (PUEAC) is a newly founded theological institution which actually provides the students theological and musical studies along with practising. Theory and Praxis and the feeling of the community are some of the main characteristics of the PUEAC. It was founded by the Greek State in 2006 and since then it collaborates harmoniously with Universities, Ecclesiastical Academies, Research Institutions and Private Foundations in Greece, developing a number of seminars and other informative programs regarding pastoral and musical issues.

2. PUEAC consists of two different Programs:
i) The Program of Theological and Pastoral Studies
ii) The Program of Ecclesiastical Musical Studies (European, Folk and Byzantine Music)

3. The Program of Theological and Pastoral Studies offers the students the chance to develop their enquiry on the roots and present of the Greek Orthodox Church. Students during the two circles of their four year-studies are taught History of Christianity, Patristic, Doctrines, Ethics, Bio-ethics, Sociology, Hagiography, Hymnology, Liturgy, Ancient and Modern Greek Language, Latin Language, Philosophy, Ecclesiology, Ecumenics, Informatics, Mission, History and Exegesis of the Old and New Testament etc. practicing at the same time on different aspects of Church’s life. In that framework students are encouraged to participate in diaconia undertaking different pastoral services.

4. The Program of Ecclesiastical Musical Studies offers the students’ community the opportunity to deal with the music scientifically, covering the demands of the modern times as well as doing research in the history of the music art. European, folk and byzantine music are the main corpus of the program. The well-equipped labs and teaching spaces provide the students with a professional working environment. Approximately two-thirds of the student’s time is occupied with theory and practice and the staff is continuously involved in seeking and administering placements in Greece and abroad, an objective which actually fits in very well with the Erasmus Program.

5. At the time being we have an agreement of collaboration with the Theological Faculty of Aristotle University Thessaloniki in order to develop seminars provided the alumni of the PUEAC with the state of art of theological trends.

6.  The life in PUEAC is lively and diverse, with students coming here from all over the country of Greece. When you are a student in PUEAC it is not just a place where you study, but also your home. It is here you will spend most of your time and make many of your friends. Why not consider applying?

7i. Our policy as PUEAC is to participate in various activities in order to promote the co-operation between the European institutions. Aiming at that goal our main objective for the near future is to develop Greek – English language courses within the framework of the Erasmus Program and continual educational policies. Being in the South part of Europe there is a strong option that PUEAC is able to operate as an extension of the European boarders, academically speaking.

7ii. Our second goal taking part in the Erasmus Program is to bring in contact the treasures of the Eastern Orthodox Christianity to the values and richness of the other parts of Christianity in Europe through the collaboration, exchange of knowledge and experience and through the mobility of students and teaching staff to other European Theological Schools and Academic Institutions. Through that perspective PUEAC strongly believes in the dynamics of the sharing and dialoguing between different partners.

7iii. Besides, it is not only the program that it counts, but it is also the first – hand experience that someone could gain by his/her participation at the courses of our Academy in Crete. Doing someone so, would have the chance to follow a six or twelve month course of learning the Bible’s language from the prototype. That would be great advantage for the theologians, especially for those who want to be experts in Old & New Testament. Additionally, studying in Crete someone would have an extra-ordinary opportunity to share the daily life of the local people, to follow their religious and cultural acts and to learn the Minoan, Byzantine, Venetian, Turkish and Greek history of the island visiting the monuments.

For Staff and Courses information see English pages.

Patriarchal University Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete (PUEAC)