St. Sergius Institute, Private university of Orthodox theology in Paris, France
Institut Saint-Serge is a private institution of higher education specializing in Orthodox theology, located in the 19th arrondissement of Paris near the Buttes-Chaumont park. It shares its grounds with the Saint-Serge church, a Russian Orthodox parish, on Rue de Crimée.
The institute was founded in 1925, making it the oldest school of Orthodox theology in Western Europe, with Serge Boulgakov as its first rector. Its name honors Saint Sergius of Radonezh, a revered figure in Russian religious tradition.
Every year since 1953, the institute has hosted a week-long gathering focused on liturgical studies, drawing scholars and clergy from across Europe. The library holds a strong collection of Russian and Slavic religious texts, reflecting the school's roots in the Russian emigrant community.
The institute is easy to reach from central Paris, with the Laumière metro station close by. It is not a typical tourist site, but visitors with an interest in Orthodox theology or religious architecture can explore the grounds and the church during opening hours.
The building that houses the institute was originally a Lutheran church built around 1860 for the German Protestant community in Paris. It was acquired by the institute in 1924, after the property had been taken from its German owners during World War I.
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