It was the hope of famous Russian Orthodox hierarchs, such as Metropolitan Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) and Archbishop Theodor (Pozdeyevsky) to establish an Orthodox university for the laity. At the beginning of the 20th century by tradition only future priests could receive theological training in the seminaries and theological academies. In the early 1920s Patriarch Tikhon gave his blessing to open an Orthodox university in Moscow. But this project was impossible to carry out the Soviet Russia. The history of the university began in 1990, when the first theological courses for laity were organized at the parish of St. Nicholas in Kuznetskaya Sloboda in Moscow. In 1992 the theological courses were reorganized, and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Institute was established under the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II. The institute was officially registered by the Russian Ministry of Education in 1998, and in 2004 received university status.

The Senate (Senatus academicus), the university’s supreme body, coordinates the spiritual and administrative life of the university. It is headed by the Rector, the Very Revd. Prof. Vladimir Vorobiev.

Education is now offered in ten Faculties - Theology, Missions, History, Philology, Teacher Training, Church Arts, Sacred Music, Social Studies, Information Technology and Mathematics. Basic theological study is a part of the curriculum for all students. In 2011/12 academic year 2116 students were enrolled at St. Tikhon`s University.

The university’s system of teaching theological disciplines is made in accordance with the traditions of Russian Orthodox theological seminaries and academies. The experience of foreign theological faculties, institutes and academies has also been incorporated into the teaching system. The Board of Post-graduate papers coordinates the defense of PhDs and Doctorates in different fields.

The university implements a number of scholarly and educational programs jointly with State educational institutions, institutions abroad, and scholarly foundations. We cooperate closely with the research and educational centers in Belorussia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Switzerland, Syria, and the USA.

Our students regularly participate in exchange programs. St. Tikhon’s professors travel abroad to give lectures, and professors and academics from abroad visit the university each year. The closest contacts on the exchange level are with Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan, Italy), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Germany) and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (USA).