The Easter Chimes festival took place in Almaty (+VIDEO)

From May 7 to May 10, 2024, in Almaty, with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the Easter Chimes bell ringing festival took place.

The event is timed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana and Alma-Ata diocese. The organizer of the bell ringing festival was the department of culture of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District (headed by Honored Worker of Culture - L.E. Goricheva).

The bell towers of the churches of the southern capital were chosen as the venue for the festival: the Ascension Cathedral, St. Nicholas Cathedral, St. Sophia Cathedral of the Iversko-Seraphim Monastery and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The participants in the “Easter Chimes” were bell ringers from city churches and temples in the Alma-Ata region.

The opening of the festival took place on May 7 on the territory of the Iversko-Seraphim Monastery. Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan, vicar of the Astana diocese, welcomed those gathered on behalf of the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

In addition to the competition program, the festival included bell ringing master classes for everyone. Maria Kadyrakunova, a Sunday school teacher at the Ascension Cathedral, gave lessons on the art of bell ringing.

The participants were warmly greeted by the clergy of the temples; Easter treats were offered to bell ringers and holiday guests.

On May 9, on the territory of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, before the performance of the bell ringers, a concert dedicated to the Great Victory Day took place, organized by the efforts of the church custodian, Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya and the parish activists.

Media support for the festival was provided by the Semirechye television studio (director - Honored Worker of Culture - V.L. Posadneva).

The winners of the ringing competition were:

1st degree laureates:
- Makeeva Maria (temple in the name of the martyrs Adrian and Natalia);
- Sayenko Dmitry (temple in the name of the martyrs Adrian and Natalia).

Laureate of the 2nd degree:
- Maria Kadyrakunova (Ascension Cathedral);
- Klimov Vladislav (Cathedral of Christ the Savior);
- Milovanov Pavel (St. Nicholas Cathedral).

Third degree laureate:
- nun Elizabeth (Zakharova) (St. Sophia Cathedral);
- nun Alexandra (Knyazeva) (St. Sophia Cathedral);
- Anfimov Igor (St. Sophia Cathedral);
- Shundik Oleg (Cathedral of Christ the Savior).