The riza on the cell icon of Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov) - the Iveron icon of the Holy Mother of God has been restored

July 30, 2024. Moscow. Assistant to the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District in the representative office of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Candidate of Theology, Professor Hegumen Agafangel (Gagua) presented Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan with a newly made silver riza for the Iveron icon of the Holy Mother of God.

The image of the Queen of Heaven, painted in the 19th century on Mount Athos in the St. Panteleimon Monastery, was for many years the cell icon of the ever-memorable Kazakh saint - Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov) - before it he performed the prayer rule, interceded before the "Good Gatekeeper" for his flock and numerous spiritual children. In 1970, Metropolitan Joseph presented this icon to his spiritual daughter, Maria Ivanovna Sashina (née Lyubykh). On the back of the relic, Maria wrote in neat handwriting: “This icon of the Iveron Mother of God was presented to me, Lyubykh Maria Ivanovna, by Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov) of Alma-Ata in 1970. Alma-Ata.” Having learned that a memorial house was opening in Alma-Ata in honor of the ever-memorable elder-saint, M.A. Sashina decided to donate the relic to the church museum. The bishop’s spiritual daughter also donated a pocket prayer book, a rosary, and some other things that belonged to Metropolitan Joseph for the exhibition.

The riza, donated by Abbot Agathangel, created according to ancient models, adorned the cell icon of the elder-saint.

Metropolitan Alexander sincerely thanked Father Agathangel for his concern for the development of museum work in the Metropolitan District and asked him to convey words of gratitude to everyone who worked on the production of the riza: the management and employees of the art and production enterprise of the Russian Orthodox Church "Sofrino" - acting director Potemkin Andrei Vladimirovich, head of the jewelry workshop Zhdanovich Evgeny Alekseevich, head of the sales department Lyapin Georgy Evgenievich, manager Nikitenko Mikhail Anatolyevich. The Metropolitan and Father Hegumen noted the professionalism, responsiveness and high quality of the work performed.