On the feast of the Sebastian Martyrs, the Head of the Metropolitan District celebrated the Liturgy in the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the southern capital

March 23, 2024 - Saturday of the first week of Great Lent, the day of remembrance of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.

On this day, in accordance with the liturgical Charter, the memory of the 40 martyrs who suffered in Lake Sebaste is transferred. Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Almaty.

His Eminence was served by: the dean of the Alma-Ata churches, the rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Valery Zakharov, the rector of the Alma-Ata Church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, Archpriest Evgeniy Vorobyov, the keymaster of the St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Igor Svetlichny, the keymaster of the Nativity Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya, rector of the Epiphany Church Archpriest Valery Shavrin, vice-rector for educational work of the Alma-Ata Seminary priest John Livinsky, vice-rector for educational work of the Alma-Ata Seminary priest Peter Bakhtiyarov, head of the personal secretariat of the Metropolitan Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), head of the administrative secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District priest Georgy Sidorov; rectors of churches and clergy of the Alma-Ata diocese; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Hierodeacon Afanasy (Kozel), Deacon John Churkin, Deacon Alexander Voronin.

By the beginning of the service, icons with particles of the relics of the Martyrs of Sebastia and the Great Martyr Theodore Tiron, stored in the home Iversko-Seraphim Church of the Metropolitan Residence in Alma-Ata, were delivered to the church for prayerful worship and spiritual strengthening of believers.

Liturgical chants were performed by the choir of St. Nicholas Cathedral under the direction of O. Berekesheva and the everyday choir under the direction of O. Solomonova.

Praying during the service were: Honored Artist of Russia, Member of the Church and Public Council under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for the Development of Russian Church Singing O.N. Ovchinnikov; employees of the Alma-Ata diocesan administration, teachers and students of the central Sunday school of the southern capital, headed by director G.V. Cherepanova, numerous parishioners.

The head of the Metropolitan District offered prayers for the increase of love and the eradication of all hatred and malice.

At the funeral litany, intense prayers were offered for the repose of the ever-memorable Archbishop of Tikhvin Meliton (Soloviev; † 1986), the spiritual mentor of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan. The ever-memorable saint received monastic tonsure in honor of one of the Sebastian martyrs.

The sermon after the sacramental verse was delivered by Priest Georgy Sidorov.

At the end of the service, glorification of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste took place, after which the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan addressed those gathered with a word of edification.

Metropolitan Alexander warmly congratulated the dean of the parishes of Alma-Ata, Archpriest Valery Zakharov, on his name day, wishing him strength of mental and physical strength, longevity and God's help in pastoral labors and church obediences.

The rector's father was congratulated on the day of the heavenly patron by the pupils of the central Sunday school.

The archpastor said words of congratulations to Archpriest Valery Shavrin, who bears the name in honor of the Sebastian martyrs. The Metropolitan presented the clergy celebrating the day of the angel with an icon of the Prophet Elijah and the image of St. Nicholas of Velikoretsky, handed over prosphora and wished the strengthening grace of Christ in serving God and people.