The celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana diocese has begun in Astana. Metropolitan Alexander led the Liturgy in the Assumption Cathedral

September 28, 2024. Astana. On the first day of the afterfeast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, the Divine Liturgy was held in the Assumption Cathedral, opening the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana diocese.

The central event of the celebrations was the bringing of the ark with the relics of the blessed nun Matrona of Moscow under the vaults of the main church of the country.

During the Liturgy, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, was assisted by: the head of the Yekaterinburg Metropolitanate, Metropolitan Evgeny of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye, member of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, chairman of the Synodal Department for Religious Education and Catechesis; Bishop Feodor of Berdyansk and Primorsky Krai; dean of the parishes of Almaty, mitred archpriest Valery Zakharov, rector of the Almaty church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" mitred archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov; acting rector of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, head of the information department of the Metropolitan District, Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; cleric of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Astana, Hieromonk Silouan (Sinegubov), dean of the Ili church district, Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov, Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin), head of the personal secretariat of the Metropolitan, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), key keeper of the Kazan Cathedral in Almaty, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, head of the Metropolitan's protocol service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Protodeacon Alexander Mokiy, Deacon Ilya Davydov, Deacon John Churkin.

The chants were performed by the cathedral choir under the direction of Olga Varentsova.

The following were praying at the service: Archbishop of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk Amfilohiy, Archbishop of Petropavlovsk and Bulaev Vladimir, Bishop of Galich and Makaryev Alexy (Kostroma Metropolitanate), Bishop of Aktobe and Kyzylorda Ignatiy, Vicar of the Astana Diocese Bishop of Taldykorgan Claudian, Vicar of the Astana Diocese Bishop of Talgar Veniamin, Bishop of Uralsk and Atyrau Vianor; Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Artist of Russia, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing O.N. Ovchinnikov; head of the public foundation "Apostle Fund" G.G. Sosnovsky, employees of the Astana Diocesan Administration, numerous parishioners and pilgrims. According to the verse after the sacrament, Priest Georgy Rublinsky read out the address of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan on the occasion of the bringing of the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow to Kazakhstan.

At the end of the Liturgy, a glorification of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord and the blessed nun Matrona took place before the ark with her relics.

At the end of the service, Metropolitan Alexander thanked the hierarchs, clergy and all participants of the celebrations for their common prayer, congratulated those gathered on the bringing of the relics of the especially revered saint of God in the Orthodox world to Astana, and addressed the worshipers with a word of edification.

After the sermon of the Metropolitan, the veneration of the relics of the blessed nun Matrona began. Residents and guests of the capital, a large number of pilgrims from the cities and villages of central Kazakhstan gathered to offer prayers to the saint of God.

The head of the Metropolitan District congratulated the secretary of the Metropolitan District O.N. Ovchinnikov on his birthday, wishing him help from the Lord in serving the Holy Church, strength of soul and body, and creative success. The Bishop presented Oleg Nikolaevich with a holy prosphora and a bouquet of flowers.