The Head of the Metropolitan District met with the Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus P.V. Utyupin

July 9, 2024. Astana. A meeting was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus Pavel Vladimirovich Utyupin.

The meeting was attended by the Dean of the Astana Church District, Archimandrite Sergiy (Karamyshev) and employees of the diplomatic mission.

After exchanging greetings, Pavel Vladimirovich told Metropolitan Alexander about the activities of the embassy and shared his impressions of the meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M. Nurtleu, the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan A. Balayeva and the Chairman of the Senate Commission of the Parliament of Kazakhstan N. Beknazarov.

Another topic of conversation was the accession of the Republic of Belarus to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the meeting of which was held on July 4 of this year in the capital of Kazakhstan. The parties discussed the difficult political situation that has developed today in a number of countries and emphasized the need to follow the timeless ideals of mercy, love, peace, kindness and justice, which contribute to strengthening brotherly love and harmony in society. Metropolitan Alexander quoted the statement of President K.-Zh.K. Tokayev: "In order to mobilize the creative potential of peoples in countering terrorism, extremism, separatism and the devaluation of spiritual values, it is important to develop the unique cultural heritage of the SCO states."

The Metropolitan informed the head of the Belarusian diplomatic mission that from September 27 to November 4 of this year, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', the relics of the holy blessed old woman Matrona of Moscow will be brought to Kazakhstan. His Eminence noted that the presence of the relic in the dioceses of the Metropolitan District is timed to coincide with a historical date - the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana and Alma-Ata Diocese.

The head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan informed Pavel Vladimirovich about his upcoming visit to the Belarusian Orthodox Church, which will take place at the invitation of Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl as part of preparations for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the death of Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov). The archpastor noted that during the pilgrimage he will visit the cities of Mogilev and Belynichi, associated with the initial stage of the life of the elder-saint and also venerate the relic revered in the Orthodox world - the Zhirovich Icon of the Mother of God.

During the conversation, an exchange of views took place on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

At the end of the meeting, which took place in a good atmosphere, the parties exchanged wishes for success in good deeds and endeavors.