Transfiguration of the Lord. The head of the Metropolitan District celebrated the Liturgy in the Ascension Cathedral of the Southern capital (+VIDEO)

August 19, 2024 is the great twelve feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord God and Our Savior Jesus Christ.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Liturgy in the Ascension Cathedral of the city of Almaty.

The head of the Metropolitan District was assisted by: the dean of the churches of Almaty, the rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Valery Zakharov, the confessor of the Almaty diocese, Archimandrite John (Sazonov), acting Rector of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary, Head of the Information Department of the Metropolitan District Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, Archpriest Dimitry Sidorov, Head of the Metropolitan's Personal Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Priest Vitaly Ryngach; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Head of the Metropolitan's Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Vitaly Bystrushkin, Deacon Alexander Piven, Deacon John Zhuchkov.

The following were praying at the service: Head of the public foundation "Apostol Foundation" G.G. Sosnovsky, Head of the Representative Office of Rossotrudnichestvo in the Republic of Kazakhstan M.S. Simakova, Head of the Educational Projects Department of Rossotrudnichestvo T.V. Zubkova, employees of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration, benefactors of the diocese, and numerous parishioners.

The chants were performed by the Metropolitan District Choir (choirmaster – Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov, choirmaster – V. Dudareva) and the Ascension Cathedral Choir (choirmaster – N. Zubrevich).

The sermon on the communion verse was delivered by Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.

At the end of the Liturgy, according to the Church Charter, the blessing of the new grape harvest was performed, as well as various fruits that had ripened by this time.

The clergy and choir sang the troparion, kontakion and magnification of the feast; the archpastor read the prayers for the blessing and sprinkled the newly ripened fruits and the worshipers with holy water.

The Metropolitan congratulated the clergy and laity on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord and addressed the congregation with a sermon.

The head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan congratulated Archpriest Yevgeny Ivanov on the anniversary of his priestly ordination, presented him with a holy prosphora, thanked him for his efforts and wished him spiritual and physical strength and God's mercy in his future service to the Holy Church.

Representatives of the Union of Cossacks of Semirechye, headed by Ataman V.S. Shikhotov, a member of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, took an active part in ensuring order and security.

Video filming of the metropolitan service was carried out by the television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District "Semirechye" (Director - Honored Cultural Worker V.L. Posadneva, cameraman A. Schmidt); photo recording - employee of the information department A. Shcheglov.

"Each twelve great feast dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ or His Most Pure Mother opens a new page in our spiritual life. During the profound and heartfelt festive services, our real encounter with God takes place, and the renewal of human nature takes place. Enlightened by the words of Holy Scripture and inspired by liturgical texts in which the hammered gold of patristic wisdom shines, a Christian is strengthened in trials and receives strength to do good deeds. The Transfiguration of the Lord, which enlightened the hearts and minds of the apostles, also encourages us to moral transformation and spiritual renewal. The manifestation of Divine glory on Mount Tabor reminds all people of the imperishable glory of the coming eternal Heavenly Kingdom, where “God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28) and “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt. 13:43). On the bright day of the Transfiguration, we are called to transform the world around us. How? Through our participation in the lives of our neighbors. It is necessary to share that grace, that spiritual joy that we received today during the Liturgy with our family and friends, to give it to the people with whom we communicate, meet or work together, to show active love and mercy to everyone in need. May the light of the Transfiguration of the Lord strengthen and inspire us to do good deeds, give us courage and strength in the midst of the raging waves of the sea of life to maintain composure and calm, to resist temptations and temptations, to follow the Gospel path with a firm hope for eternal salvation, which God grants us." From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.