2019
Moscow Inter-Diocesan Postgraduate Academy
Postgraduate research, Department of Historical Theology; doctoral candidate in theology.
St. Petersburg — Moscow — All Russia — Neighbouring countries
Founder
Pavel Ovchinnikov
Historian, genealogist, theologian, entrepreneur. One of the leading genealogists in Russia, founder and director of Family Relic — one of the largest genealogy centres in Russia and Europe.
Profile
15 years in genealogy
Holds deep academic training in Russian history, archival studies and source criticism, supported by years of practical work in major archives.
His professional competencies span the full spectrum of genealogical research — from work with metric books, revision lists and confession registers of the 18th–19th centuries to complex multi-stage biographical investigations using federal, regional and departmental archives.
His distinctive expertise is in records of the clergy estate of the Russian Empire — a field where Pavel is a recognised specialist and the author of original scholarly databases.
Competencies
Core competencies
Multi-generation ancestry research
Archive work, 18th–20th centuries
Source criticism and archival studies
History of Russian clergy estate
Building scholarly databases
Biographical and prosopographical research
Leading genealogy projects
Research methodology development
Expert review of genealogy materials
Lecturing and public engagement
Education
Academic training
2017
Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy
MA in theology.
2015
St. Petersburg Theological Academy
MA in theology.
2012
Voronezh Theological Seminary (correspondence)
Specialist in theology, ethics and philosophy.
Principles
In his own words
«The first law of the genealogist is patience. The genealogist works with vast volumes of information.»
«My search begins where the internet's answers end.»
«For the Soviet period — 99% of families can recover information about their ancestors. It's not speculation; it's practice.»
«Professional genealogy cannot be cheap. I insist on this.»
«You don't have to be an aristocrat — but you must be a decent human being.»