On the eve of the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Metropolitan Alexander performed an all-night vigil in the main church of Almaty

On April 27, 2024, in the evening, on the eve of the great twelfth feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated an all-night vigil in the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan was co-served by: the confessor of the Alma-Ata diocese, Archimandrite John (Sazonov) and the cathedral clergy.

The chants were performed by the choir of the Metropolitan District (regent - Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov, choirmaster - V. Dudareva) and the choir of the Ascension Cathedral (regent - N. Zubrevich).

At Great Vespers, according to the liturgical Rule, a lithium (enhanced prayer) was performed with the consecration of bread, wine, wheat and oil.

At Matins, after reading the Gospel Conception, Metropolitan Alexander performed the rite of consecration of the fronds - willow branches, in memory of the solemn entry of the King of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, into Jerusalem for free suffering. While reading the 50th psalm, the archpastor censed the tree, read a prayer for their blessing: “Lord our God, sit on the Cherubim...”, and then sprinkled the branches brought by the worshipers with holy water, saying the words: “This tree is sanctified by sprinkling water sowing sacred, in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

After the consecration of the vai, the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan addressed the worshipers with a sermon, in which he spoke about the spiritual meaning and significance of each of the days of the coming Holy Week.

The use of fronds and lighted candles with them at the Palm Sunday all-night vigil, according to the testimony of the fathers and teachers of the Church, dates back to ancient times. Green branches serve as a sign of the Savior’s victory over death and the Resurrection of Christ.

During the reading of the canon of the holiday “The springs of the abyss appear, the moisture is not involved...”, the believers were anointed with consecrated oil.

On the day of the holiday itself, Metropolitan Alexander will lead the Divine Liturgy in the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty. Starts at 9:00.