Metropolitan Alexander officiated at the Liturgy in the Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Rudny

April 4, 2025 – Friday of the 5th week of Great Lent; the day of remembrance of St. Isaac of Dalmatia.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts of St. Gregory the Dialogist in the Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Rudny – the second cathedral city of the Kostanay diocese.

Before the beginning of the service, the Sacrament of Confession was performed for the clergy of the Kostanay diocese.

The Head of the Metropolitan District was assisted at the Liturgy by: Secretary of the Kostanay diocese Hieromonk Gennady (Burduzha); Key-keeper of the Dormition Cathedral in Astana Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek); Cleric of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the capital of Kazakhstan, Hieromonk Silouan (Sinegubov); Cleric of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Kostanay, Hegumen Innokenty (Pomogalov); Dean of the Kostanay Church District, Rector of the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Tobyl, Priest Andrei Krutin; Dean of the Lisakovsk Church District, Rector of the Church of St. Righteous John of Kronstadt in Lisakovsk, Archpriest Oleg Kalmykov; Cleric of the main church of the diocese, Archpriest Andrei Korchazhnikov; Dean of the Sarykol Church District, Cleric of the Constantine and Helen Church, Archpriest Vitaly Kleba; Rector of the St. Nicholas Church in Kostanay, Archpriest Vitaly Gutsan; Rector of the parish in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Fyodorovka, Kostanay region, Archpriest Alexei Mostovshchikov; clergy of the churches of the Kostanay diocese; Archdeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Eleazar Aitbakin, Deacon Alexander Piven, Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

The choir of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral of the city of Kostanay sang under the direction of T. Zhebrak.

The sermon after the communion verse was delivered by Hieromonk Silouan (Sinegubov).

At the end of the service, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the clergy and worshipers on the day of remembrance of St. Isaac of Dalmatia and addressed the parishioners with words of instruction.

The bishop sprinkled the worshipers with holy water.

"We know that eternal life is achieved through love for God and love for one's neighbor, but the Lord Himself revealed to us another great truth: divine food leads a person to the Kingdom of Heaven - the holy life-giving Mysteries of Christ - the most pure Body and Blood of our Savior. Participation in the sacrament of Communion is a source of virtue and an effective means of deliverance from sin. The Lord Jesus Christ warns us: "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53). It is impossible, looking from the outside, to feel those gracious gifts, to perceive that consolation and help from the Lord, which are given to a believer by proper observance of the fast, frequent visits to the temple of God, and participation in the sacraments. Personal spiritual experience cannot be replaced by any effort of the mind, tension of the will or attention of the senses, for “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Psalm 39:9) – with the words of the Psalmist David, the Church of Christ calls us to join in the real, genuine spiritual life.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.