Divine Service of the Most Blessed Saturday in the Ascension Cathedral of Almaty

April 19, 2025 is the Great and Most Blessed Saturday of Holy Week. The Orthodox Church remembers the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ, the stay of His most pure body in the tomb, the descent of the soul into hell, the victory of the Savior over death and the deliverance of the souls of the righteous who awaited His coming with faith.

The Great Vespers was celebrated in the Ascension Cathedral of Almaty in conjunction with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan prayed at the service.

The service of the Most Blessed Saturday is unique both in its theological content and in its structure. It begins with Great Vespers, which turns into the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. The Old Testament prophecies about the Resurrection of Christ are read. Instead of the Trisagion, the verse from the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians is sung: “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Gal. 3:27), since it was on this day that the sacrament of Baptism was performed over the catechumens in the ancient Church. The Apostle is read, which reveals the meaning and mysterious power of Baptism (Rom. 6:3–11). The reading of the Apostle seems to end the Sabbath day dedicated to the burial of the Savior.

Before the Gospel reading, the hymn “Arise, O God, judge the earth” is solemnly sung. During the performance of this hymn, the clergy change their dark Lenten vestments to white, festive ones. The decoration of the church also becomes Easter-like. The changing of the clergymen recalls how in ancient times after the reading of the parimias of Great Saturday the newly baptized entered the temple in white robes, and also symbolically points to the angels who announced the Resurrection of Christ.

The Gospel is read (Matthew 28:1-20), telling about the events of the Resurrection of the Savior.

The Cherubic Hymn is replaced by a text that we hear only once a year: "Let all human flesh keep silence, and stand with fear and trembling, and let nothing earthly be thought of in itself; for the King of kings and Lord of lords comes to be slain and given as food to the faithful. Before Him go the angelic hosts with every Principality and Authority, the many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, covering their faces and crying out the song: Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah."

On Great Saturday, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', a prayer for peace in the Holy City of Jerusalem and throughout the universe is read in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church. After the completion of the fervent litany, in the middle of the church before the Holy Shroud, the clergy prayed for the deliverance of the city of Jerusalem - a place dear to every believer's heart, where the great events of our salvation took place - from wars, strife and civil strife, as well as for the cessation of all hatred and enmity throughout the world and for the increase of love in the hearts of people.

After the dismissal of the Liturgy, the blessing of the bread and wine was performed, as prescribed by the liturgical Charter. This blessing is performed annually in memory of how the ancient Christians, remaining in the church after the Liturgy until Easter Matins, by partaking of the consecrated bread and wine strengthened themselves for the feat of vigil on this sacred and saving night.

On Holy Saturday, after the completion of the service, Orthodox Christians bring Easter cakes, paskhas and painted eggs to the churches for blessing. The clergy of the Ascension Cathedral performed the rite of blessing the Easter dishes.

During Holy Saturday, the Metropolitan visited a number of parishes in the Southern capital. The head of the Metropolitan District checked the quality of preparation of churches and adjacent territories for the holiday, and communicated with the clergy.

Metropolitan Alexander will celebrate the Easter service (midnight office, procession with the cross, matins and Divine Liturgy) in the main temple of Almaty – the Ascension Cathedral. It will begin at 23:30.