The funeral service for Archbishop Anthony (Moskalenko) took place

April 26, 2025. Uralsk. Following the Divine Liturgy in the St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral, the funeral service for the newly departed Archbishop Anthony (Moskalenko) took place.

The funeral service, with the blessing of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', was led by the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

The head of the Metropolitan District was assisted by: Bishop Nikolai of Salavat and Kumertau (Bashkortostan Metropolitanate); Bishop Ignatius of Aktobe and Kyzylorda; Vicar of the Astana Diocese Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and Atyrau; Rector of the Almaty Church in Honor of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" Archpriest Yevgeny Vorobyov; Rector of the St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral in Uralsk Archimandrite Feodosiy (Kuryanov); Cleric of the Pokrovsky Convent in Uralsk Archimandrite Dionysius (Kozulev); Rector of the Church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the capital of Western Kazakhstan Hegumen Ilya (Danileiko); Rector of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Uralsk Archpriest Anatoly Robu; Head of the Information Department of the Ural Diocese Hegumen Dorofey (Dilmanaev); Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District Priest Georgy Sidorov; Clergy of the Ural Diocese and clergy of the Orenburg Metropolitanate; Head of the Metropolitan's Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Rustik Yakubov.

The parishioners of the cathedral and numerous believers from the cities and villages of Western Kazakhstan, representatives of the Cossacks gathered to perform the funeral prayer and say goodbye to the late Archbishop Anthony.

The following arrived to honor the memory of the late archpastor: Apostolic Administrator Monsignor Peter Sakmar and representatives of the state authorities.

Before the funeral service, Metropolitan Alexander read out the condolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', after which he addressed the congregation with a word about the late Bishop Archbishop. "During the time of Bright Week, filled with the special grace of God, when the visible and invisible world rejoices in the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, the Creator and Provider moved from temporary existence to eternity His faithful servant - Archbishop Anthony, the oldest hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan. The late archpastor lived a long life, full of many events. At a young age, having received an education at the Krasnoyarsk State University, then at the Moscow Theological Academy, he heeded the call of the Chief Shepherd Christ and took up the cross of serving the Holy Church. By the Providence of God, the late bishop was determined to bear various church obediences - he worked in the churches of the Khmelnitsky diocese, was the rector of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv and the manager of the affairs of the Ukrainian Exarchate. By the will of the hierarchy, his archpastoral consecration took place forty years ago. At the dawn of Kazakhstan's independence, in 1991, Bishop Anthony became the head of the newly formed Uralsk diocese, which at that time united the parishes of five regions of the Republic. For more than three decades, he worked with zeal and fervor in the work of evangelical preaching, invariably striving to carry out his ministry "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness, in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love" (2 Cor. 6:6). His many years of activity aimed at affirming the ideals of goodness and mercy in society, his efforts to strengthen friendship between peoples were noted by high church and state awards, as well as the titles of "Honorary Citizen" of the West Kazakhstan Region, the cities of Uralsk and Atyrau. During the celebration of Holy Pascha, “opening the gates of Paradise to us,” Archbishop Anthony was born for eternity. Let us pray earnestly to the Savior of the world, risen from the grave, for the repose of the newly departed hierarch in the heavenly abodes,” the Metropolitan noted, in particular, in his speech.

In accordance with the rite of the archpastoral funeral, after the singing of the Great Doxology, the Head of the Metropolitan District read the prayer of absolution. The service ended with the proclamation of “Eternal Memory.”

The coffin with the body of the deceased hierarch was carried around the Michael the Archangel Cathedral to the singing of the irmos of Holy Pascha.

According to his lifetime wish, Archbishop Anthony was buried at the altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral.

During the day, the clergy of the diocese held funeral services at the burial site of the archpastor; the faithful brought flowers and lit candles.

After the funeral service, Metropolitan Alexander left for the "Miner's Capital", where spiritual celebrations will take place on the occasion of the day of remembrance of St. Sebastian of Karaganda.