The '''St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute''' in Paris, France, is an establishment of private higher education, legalized as such in France and functioning under the aegis of the Academy of Paris. The mission of the St. Sergius Institute is to form educated priests and laypeople, intending to serve actively the [[Orthodox Church ]] and representing it in the ecumenical dialogue, as well as in the religious and cultural life of their own country. The St. Sergius Institute is under the canonical jurisdiction of the [[Russian Orthodox Exarchate in Western Europe]] (under the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]]).