A meeting took place between the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District and the Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Gregory of the Resurrection

May 29, 2024. Moscow. At the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in the Danilov Monastery, a meeting took place between the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, and the Administrator of the Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Gregory of the Resurrection.

After exchanging Easter greetings, Metropolitan Alexander told Bishop Gregory about the main events in the life of the Metropolitan District, which was celebrating a spiritually significant date - the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana and Alma-Ata diocese on the territory of the Republic.

The head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan said words of gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', who blessed the bringing to Alma-Ata, on the occasion of the celebration of a historical date, of the great shrine - the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Healer”, kept in the Alekseevsky Stavropegic Convent of the city of Moscow. The hierarch noted that during the three days of the miraculous image’s stay in the southern capital, over 30,000 people managed to bow to it.

The archpastors discussed the project of bringing the ark with part of the relics of the holy blessed elder Matrona of Moscow to Kazakhstan. It is planned that, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the shrine will visit the regional centers of the country this fall.

During the conversation, Metropolitan Alexander shared with Bishop Gregory information about a number of events in the city of Astana, which will take place on September 28-29 this year as part of the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the capital diocese, and the upcoming celebration of the 170th anniversary of the founding of the oldest church in the Kazakh capital – Constantino-Eleninsky Cathedral. The Head of the Metropolitan District invited the Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate to visit the shrines of Kazakhstan and share the joy of common prayer in churches associated with the exploits of the new martyrs and confessors of the 20th century.

An exchange of views took place on a wide range of issues of mutual interest. The interlocutors discussed the topics of church-state relations and interfaith dialogue in Kazakhstan, and they also discussed the development of spiritual education in the Metropolitan District.

At the end of the conversation, the archpastors wished each other health and God's help in church work.