Father Oleg Stenyaev is an Orthodox priest, missionary, preacher and publicist. Religion entered his life as early as childhood - Oleg's entire family was Orthodox. Stenyaev's current theological interests are sectarian studies and non-traditional religions. He made a pilgrimage to Israel, visited India. Stenyaev is considered one of the most erudite preachers in Russia.
From the biography of Oleg Viktorovich Stenyaev
The future Orthodox priest, writer and publicist was born in the city of Orekhovo-Zuevo on April 8, 1961. Oleg's grandmother, who raised eleven children, spent a lot of time in the church. The most abusive word in her vocabulary was “communist”. Stenyaev's grandfather was at various times a builder, stove-maker, carpenter, but never worked for the state. Oleg's parents exactly adhered to religious principles, having introduced their son to the faith.
Once in a kindergarten, teachers saw a cross on little Oleg's chest, tore it off and threw it away. Stenyaev remembered the offense from such injustice for the rest of his life. No one in the family has ever been a member of the Komsomol. We lived in modesty, no frills. The Stenyaevs' private house did not have a TV set, but the Bible was highly revered.
Oleg graduated from the school for working youth. For some time he worked at an industrial enterprise as a turner. He served in the army in the internal troops.
Spiritual activity and career of theologian
In 1981, Oleg Viktorovich entered the church as a reader. Even then, Stenyaev began to think about church education. A year later, he began to study at the metropolitan theological seminary. I did not complete the course completely - family circumstances interfered. He was ordained a deacon. He served in the Ivanovo, Tambov and Moscow dioceses.
Stenyaev began his missionary activity when he was still a deacon. In 1990 he became the editor of the "Amvon" magazine.
Subsequently, he moved to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), where he was ordained a priest. ROCOR is a self-governing church that is part of the Moscow Patriarchate. Stenyaev took part in the organization of church parishes in Kuibyshev and in the Novosibirsk diocese. In 1993 he returned to the capital and a year later was admitted to the rank of priest of the Moscow Patriarchate. He was at the head of the Center for the rehabilitation of victims of non-traditional religions.
In 2000, Father Oleg became the rector of the Church of St. Nicholas. However, the temple was not transferred to the church community. Attempts to remove the theater studio and the modeling agency from the premises were unsuccessful.
In 2005, Stenyaev graduated from the seminary course, received a diploma and entered the Moscow Theological Academy, became a bachelor of theology. After that he was elevated to the rank of archpriest.
Since 2010, he regularly conducted Bible talks in the Church of the Apostle Thomas on Kantemirovskaya Street. Currently, he is serving at the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Sokolniki.
Stenyaev was best known for preaching Orthodoxy among representatives of non-traditional religions. In 2000 he was in Chechnya, where he repeatedly held talks with civilians and soldiers. Participated in the baptism of former Muslims.
