Frequently Asked Questions

Answer all of your questions

The Evgenios Voulgaris Digital Academy

The web site of the Academy is: voulgarisacademy.com - THE STORY Two centuries and seven decades have passed from the time when perhaps the most well-known education center under Turkish rule was founded in the Greek lands, and it has remained active to this day. Two hundred and seventy years since the time when the wise and virtuous Neofytos Kavsokalyvitis, the first principal, crossed the threshold of the Athoniada School. He was succeeded by “the renowned Evyenios Voulgaris” one of the most important figures in Hellenism, and, indeed, of the European spirit as a whole. In 1749, the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopaidi founded the Athoniada on a hill close to the monastery and it became the most important center of learning for the enslaved population, producing such outstanding personalities as Saint Kosmas Aitolos, Rigas Feraios, and Saint Athanasios Parios. At the time of its zenith, the principal was Evyenios Voulgaris. The greatest men of letters of the time taught at the Athoniada, scholars such as Sergios Makraios, Ioannis Pezaros, Panayiotis Palamas the martyr Bishop of Platamonas, Dimitrios Kyprianos the Cypriote, and others. These were all among the most dynamic proponents of the spiritual, ideological and political currents which shaped the communal life of the Greek nation during the decades which preceded the national renaissance. Evyenios Voulgaris was a multi-faceted personality: theologian, philosopher, linguist and natural scientist. He was unquestionably the greatest teacher of the Greek nation. With his wisdom and extensive learning, with his educational activities and his whole oeuvre, he inaugurated a new era in the spiritual history of modern Hellenism. He managed to graft new strains of thought onto Greek education, and by balancing scholarship with faith, bridged the spiritual tradition of Orthodoxy and that of classical education. He was a real modernizer as well being consummately traditional. Especially at the time of Voulgaris, the Athoniada became a beacon of knowledge at the heart of the Athonite niptic tradition. The experience of Orthodoxy embraced the highest achievements of the human spirit. Human pettiness, misunderstandings and objections were overcome by history itself and by results. Two centuries have passed since the national renaissance of 1821. It’s no coincidence that the two most emblematic personalities who prepared the ground for the Greek Revolution of 1821 came from the ranks of pupils in the Athoniada: Saint Kosmas Aitolos, Equal to the Apostles, and Rigas Feraios. The former laid the spiritual foundations for the Greek nation, rebaptizing people through the combination of Orthodox tradition and knowledge: “What you need is your soul and Christ… Build schools!”. In his poem Thourios, Feraios records the tribulations of slavery and the desire for reedom on the part of the downtrodden Greeks and their co-religionists in the Balkans. So the Athoniada became a workshop for freedom. Freedom from ignorance, prejudices and superstitions, from the absence of an authentic Christian life, from the tyrannical repression of the Ottoman conquerors. Evyenios Voulgaris was the outstanding scholar cleric of the 18th century who fought far from his homeland – he’d left the Athoniada and was consecrated Archbishop of Kherson- for the benefit of enslaved Greece. He supported the ‘Greek plan’ which aimed at the liberation of the Greeks and pressed Empress Catherine of Russia to implement it. IN THE SPIRIT OF ATHONIADA Over the course of the centuries, the Athoniada may have lost some of its initial luster. But its legacy to Greeks and to the whole of Orthodoxy is of nestimable value. It has bequeathed to younger generations the burden of responsibly for the combination of the new with the old, in each era. This requires scholarship, knowledge, courage, self sacrifice and continuous vigilance. The Athoniada was founded by the Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi at a time of tremendous financial difficulties. Two centuries later, the same monastery, again in times of tribulations and financial hardship and following the tradition of Evyenios Voulgaris, is bringing the new closer to the old, through the Maximos the Greek Institute. It has joined the Orthodox tradition with digital technology by creating Pemptousia, the electronic periodical and digital TV station serving Orthodoxy, Culture and Science. Pemptousia presents the most noble achievements of the human spirit in a continuous dialogue with people today, their concerns and their deepest needs. But as the example of the historical Athoniada shows, the provision of knowledge alone is insufficient to produce personalities capable of changing history, such as Kosmas Aitolos and Rigas Feraios. A necessary premise is the systemization and teaching of the stored knowledge, always under the guidance of experts who are well suited to the task. The economic, political and social conditions within Greece and outside are again difficult for a modern enterprise such as that of 1749. But the “Saint Maxim the Greek” Institute has founded the “Evyenios Voulgaris” Digital Academy, which brings the old back closely to the new, Orthodoxy to culture, science and philosophy, and will make them available in a creative, systematic, responsible and modern manner. In close proximity to the Athonite laboratories of the Prayer of the Heart, Voulgaris taught logic, introduction to philosophy, etaphysics, arithmetic, geometry and cosmography, from notes of his own translations of modern Western works. His teaching choices and practices were innovative for his time. His aim was never to provide knowledge uncritically, but to aim at the real needs of the people of his time, who were thirsting for learning. He was a passionate upporter of the value of higher education. It would be entirely fair to call him the “Saint of Letters and Sciences”. Following his lead, the “Evyenios Voulgaris” Digital Academy will offer people today organized knowledge of Orthodox tradition and culture in a continuous dialogue with the achievements of science, the arts, and the spirit. Its program of digital seminars will be structured and kept fresh by people who are tried and trusted internationally, in the Church and the academic realm. Two hundred years since the Greek renaissance, and two hundred and seventy years after the foundation of the historic Athoniada which has contributed to its establishment, the “Evyenios Voulgaris Digital Academy” is being asked to respond to the demand for a new revolution and renaissance for people today, who, bound by the dictates of consumerism, globalization, secularization and pandemics, crises and all manner of everyday difficulties, are looking to find a real path to freedom in the authentic knowledge of the Truth: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John, 8, 32).
An internet connection – broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE) Speakers and a microphone – built-in, USB plug-in, or wireless Bluetooth A webcam or HD webcam - built-in, USB plug-in, or: An HD cam or HD camcorder with a video-capture card Note: See the list of supported devices. Virtual camera software for use with broadcasting software like OBS or IP cameras Note: For macOS, Zoom client 5.1.1 or higher is required. Supported operating systems macOS X with macOS 10.9 or later Windows 11* *Note: Windows 11 is supported on version 5.9.0 or higher. Windows 10* *Note: Devices running Windows 10 must run Windows 10 Home, Pro, or Enterprise. S Mode is not supported. Windows 8 or 8.1 Windows 7 Ubuntu 12.04 or higher Mint 17.1 or higher Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4 or higher Oracle Linux 6.4 or higher CentOS 6.4 or higher Fedora 21 or higher OpenSUSE 13.2 or higher ArchLinux (64-bit only) Supported tablet and mobile devices iOS and Android devices Blackberry devices Surface PRO 2 or higher, running Windows 8.1 or higher Notes: Tablet PCs running Windows 10 must run Windows 10 Home, Pro, or Enterprise. S Mode is not supported. Tablet PCs only support the desktop client. Supported browsers Windows: Edge 12+, Firefox 27+, Chrome 30+ macOS: Safari 7+, Firefox 27+, Chrome 30+ Linux: Firefox 27+, Chrome 30+ Note: Some features in the web client are not supported on Internet Explorer. Processor and RAM requirements Minimum Recommended Processor Single-core 1Ghz or higher Dual-core 2Ghz or higher (Intel i3/i5/i7 or AMD equivalent) RAM N/A 4 Gb Notes: Dual and single-core laptops have a reduced frame rate when screen sharing (around 5 frames per second). For optimum screen-sharing performance on laptops, we recommend a quad-core processor or higher. Linux requires a processor or graphics card that can support OpenGL 2.0 or higher. High-DPI support High-DPI displays are supported in Zoom version 3.5 or higher Bandwidth requirements The bandwidth used by Zoom will be optimized for the best experience based on the participant‘s’ network. It will automatically adjust for 3G, WiFi, or wired environments. Recommended bandwidth for meetings and webinar panelists: For 1:1 video calling: For high-quality video: 600kbps (up/down) For 720p HD video: 1.2Mbps (up/down) For 1080p HD video: 3.8Mbps/3.0Mbps (up/down) For group video calling: For high-quality video: 1.0 Mbps/600kbps (up/down) For 720p HD video: 2.6Mbps/1.8Mbps (up/down) For 1080p HD video: 3.8Mbps/3.0Mbps (up/down) For gallery view receiving: 2.0Mbps (25 views), 4.0Mbps (49 views) For screen sharing only (no video thumbnail): 50-75kbps For screen sharing with video thumbnail: 50-150kbps For audio VoiP: 60-80kbps For Zoom Phone: 60-100kbps Recommended bandwidth for webinar attendees: For panelists video on: ~600kbps (down) for high-quality video ~1.2-1.8Mbps (down) for 720p HD video ~2-3Mbps (down) for 1080p HD video For screen sharing only (no video thumbnail): 50-75kbps (down) For screen sharing with video thumbnail: 50-150kbps (down) For audio VoiP: 60-80kbps (down)
Check ZOOM troubleshooting here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/sections/200305593-Troubleshooting
At the Evgenios Voulgaris Digital Academy we use the ZOOM platform for all of our seminars. In order to be able to join the seminars you need to have the Zoom app and create an account (if you do not have one already) You can download the Zoom App and create an account here: https://zoom.us/ If you wish to test your audio and video devices prior to a seminar you may join A Test Meeting privided my Zoom. Click here for the Test Meeting: https://zoom.us/test
Check your junk and spam folders for emails from the Voulgaris Academy team and the email address . If you still can’t find the access link, contact the Evgenios Voulgaris Digital Academy Secretariat at secretariat@voulgarisacademy.com, send us your name, the seminar you are intereted in and the Evenbrite order number and we will respond as soon as possible
Tickets are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date for the same course.
We record all seminars and use for internal purposes only. You need to know that if you speak, or make a comment during the seminar youw will be recorded. The unauthorised use of photographic and recording equipment is prohibited at Evgenios Voulgaris Digital Academy events. You are not permitted to make (or facilitate the making of) any video or audio recordings of any Evgenios Voulgaris Digital Academy seminars, or use any photographs, clips or screenshots of any Evgenios Voulgaris Digital Academ seminars for commercial purposes, unless expressly permitted by ST MAXIM THE GREEK INSTITUTE

For course bookings, registrations, orders and financial management, the Evgenios Voulgaris Digital Academy uses EVENTBRITE

Cjeck here: https://www.eventbrite.com/l/LegalTerms/
Please check here: https://www.eventbrite.com/support/articles/en_US/Troubleshooting/eventbrite-privacy-policy?lg=en_US
Please read here: https://www.eventbrite.com/l/accessibility/

Didn’t find the answer?