There was a presentation of the book “We Are Here to Serve.”

February 17-18, 2024. Alma-Ata. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, a presentation of the book “We are here to serve” took place at the spiritual and cultural center of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov).

The publication is a collection of essays and fiction stories. Its authors are the head of the Metropolitan District’s department for public relations, the keymaster of the Ascension Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Suvorov and the psalm-reader of the Ascension Cathedral, writer and journalist I.I. Savelyev.

Present at the presentation were: Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Archbishop Varnava of Pavlodar and Ekibastuz, Archbishop Sevastian of Karaganda and Shakhty, Archbishop Serapion of Kokshetau and Akmola, Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, manager of the affairs of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan; Bishop of Aktobe and Kyzylorda Ignatius, vicars of the Astana diocese - Bishop of Taldykorgan Claudian and Bishop of Talgar Benjamin; Bishop of Ural and Atyrau Vianor, dean of the parishes of the southern capital, rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Valery Zakharov; the dean of the Astana church district, Archimandrite Sergius (Karamyshev), the clergy of the southern capital, employees of the diocesan administration; representatives of the scientific and creative intelligentsia, students of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary.

The event was organized by the cultural department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.

The authors of the book told those present about the book and the work on the collection. Archpriest Alexander and Ildar Savelyev shared with the audience the history of their creative ideas, sources of inspiration, also expressed the hope that their work will benefit readers.

At the end of the event, Metropolitan Alexander expressed words of gratitude to the authors and emphasized: “The collection of essays and stories “We are here to serve” is the first publication in Kazakhstan of this kind of literary genre and focus, representing an understanding of the path of life and contribution to the development of Orthodox culture and literature."

The creators of the collection presented copies of the book to the clergy and also answered questions from those present.

Previously, Archpriest Alexander Suvorov, in collaboration with K. Sarsenova, published a collection of poems “The Happiness of Heaven is in Us.”