The miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Healer” arrived in Alma-Ata

On May 17, 2024, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Healer” arrived in the southern capital of Kazakhstan - the city of Alma-Ata.

Bringing the great shrine, glorified by numerous healings, to the southern capital of the country is a gift to the Orthodox people of Kazakhstan on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana and Alma-Ata diocese.

The miraculous icon on the pilgrimage to Kazakhstan is accompanied by: the abbess of the Alekseevskaya female stauropegial monastery of Moscow, the head of the Legal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, Abbess Ksenia (Chernega), the confessor of the Alekseevsky monastery, Archpriest Artemy Vladimirov, and the sisters of the monastery.

At the international airport of the city of Almaty, the great Orthodox shrine and those accompanying it were met by: the vicar of the Astana diocese, Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan, the dean of the parishes of Alma-Ata, mitered Archpriest Valery Zakharov, the head of the administrative secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov, and the head of the Metropolitan’s protocol service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin.

From the international airport of the southern capital, the miraculous image was delivered to the St. Sophia Cathedral of the Iveron-Seraphim Convent, where it was met by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

Together with the Metropolitan, the following took part in the meeting of the miraculous face of the Queen of Heaven: Archbishop of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk Amfilohiy, Bishop of Aktobe and Kyzylorda Ignatius; the abbess of the Iversko-Seraphim Monastery of Alma-Ata, abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina), the abbess of the Intercession Convent, abbess Varvara (Morozova), the abbess of the Mother of God Nativity Monastery in the city of Karaganda, abbess Olimpiada (Salopeko) with sisters of Kazakhstan monasteries; Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, Member of the Church and Public Council under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for the Development of Church Singing O.N. Ovchinnikov; heads of departments of the Metropolitan District in holy orders, employees of the Alma-Ata diocesan administration.

Glorification took place in front of the icon of the Mother of God “Healer”.

The head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan warmly welcomed the guests and thanked them for their personal participation in bringing the shrine to the Metropolitan District.

On May 18 at 8:30 a.m. the festive Divine Liturgy will begin in the St. Sophia Cathedral of the Iversko-Seraphim Monastery, after which access to the shrine will be open to everyone.

From May 18 to 21, the city of Alma-Ata is visited by the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Healer”.

This ancient image of the Queen of Heaven, glorified by numerous manifestations of the power of God, resides in the Alekseevsky Convent in Moscow. Pilgrims from all over the world flock to the monastery to venerate the shrine, ask the Blessed Virgin Mary for mental and physical health and pray for the healing of family and friends. For the first time in the history of its existence, the miraculous icon left the Alekseevsky Monastery in order to travel to the borders of Kazakhstan - in order to please the believing people here too with the great mercy of the Most Holy Theotokos, to grant people, through touching the shrine, liberation from illnesses, consolation in sorrows, deliverance from everyday adversities.

The first mention of the image of the Mother of God with this name occurs already in the 4th century. The icon that will visit Kazakhstan depicts the miracle of the Most Holy Theotokos healing a seriously ill man. This is an ancient legend about how the Queen of Heaven Herself appeared at the bedside of a sick man in terrible agony, and in response to his fervent prayers granted him complete recovery. The icon depicting a miraculous healing began to be revered by the believing people. Those praying in front of this shrine received recovery from their mental and physical ailments, no matter how severe they were.

In the Alekseevsky Monastery, the nuns continue to record numerous cases of recovery that have occurred and continue to occur to this day through prayers before the miraculous image of the Queen of Heaven.

On May 18, 20 - 21, the miraculous icon “Healer” will be in the Iversko-Seraphim Monastery at the address: Latifa Hamidi Street, 30, corner of the street. Zhangeldin and st. Ashimbaeva

On May 19, the shrine will be in St. Nicholas Cathedral at the address: Baitursynov Street, 56/5

Access to the miraculous image is free from 8:00 to 21:00