Celebrating the memory of the heavenly patrons of Almaty - the holy martyrs of Nikolo-Kuchugur - presbyters Stefan, Alexander and Philip (+VIDEO)

January 17, 2024 is the pre-feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, the celebration in honor of the Council of the 70 Apostles of Christ and the day of remembrance of the heavenly patrons of Alma-Ata, the holy martyrs of Nikolo-Kuchugur - presbyters Alexander Skalsky, Stefan Ponomarev and Philip Grigoriev.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the southern capital, where the holy martyrs Archpriests Alexander Skalsky, Stefan Ponomarev and Philip Grigoriev held their priestly service in the 20-30s of the twentieth century.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan was co-served by: vicars of the Astana diocese - Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Bishop of Taldykorgan Claudian and Bishop of Talgar Benjamin; Bishop Chrysanthus of Chimkent and Turkestan; Dean of Almaty churches, rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov, rector of the Almaty Church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" Archpriest Evgeniy Vorobyov, rector of the Paraskevi Church and Alexander Nevsky Church Archpriest Ioann Lopatin, keymaster of the Nativity Cathedral Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya , rector of the Kosmo-Damianovsky Church of Alma-Ata Archpriest Georgy Chistyakov, custodian of the St. Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Igor Svetlichny, rector of the Epiphany Church Archpriest Valery Shavrin, dean of the Ili Church District Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov, Archpriest Alexander Sokolov, custodian of the Peter and Paul Church of Alma-Ata Archpriest Kirill Shklyar, pro rector for the educational work of the Alma-Ata Seminary, Priest John Livinsky, head of the personal secretariat of the Metropolitan, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), head of the administrative secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; rectors of churches and clergy of the Alma-Ata diocese; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Hierodeacon Afanasy (Kozel), Deacon John Churkin, Deacon Alexander Voronin, Deacon Sergius Slesarchuk.

The following people prayed during the service: employees of the Alma-Ata diocesan administration, patrons of the diocese and Orthodox believers of the southern capital.

Liturgical chants were performed by the choir of St. Nicholas Cathedral under the direction of O. Berekesheva and the everyday choir under the direction of O. Solomonova.

His Eminence offered prayers for the increase of love and the eradication of all hatred and malice.

During the service, intense prayers were offered for the repose of the deceased Kazakh hierarchs, the ever-memorable builders and beautifiers of the St. Nicholas Church, leaders and warriors who laid down their lives on the battlefield for their faith and Fatherland, all of whom were tortured and killed in times of fierce persecution by atheists, from hunger, cold, wounds, illnesses and overwork of the deceased, and all Orthodox Christians who lived and died piously in the land of Kazakhstan.

The sermon on the sacramental verse was delivered by the vice-rector for educational work of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary, Priest John Livinsky.

At the end of the Liturgy, glorification of the Nikolo-Kuchugur holy martyrs took place - the clergy and choir performed the troparion, kontakion and glorification of the sufferers of Christ.

Then Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan congratulated the archpastors, the rector’s father, clergy and laity on the day of remembrance of the heavenly patrons of Almaty and Semirechye and addressed those gathered with a word of teaching.

“In the days of celebrating the appearance into the world of Christ the Giver of Life, the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan prayerfully celebrates the anniversary of the martyrdom of the shepherds, who labored in the time of the fiery temptation (1 Peter 4:12) in the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the city of Alma-Ata - Archpriests Alexander Skalsky, Stefan Ponomarev and Philip Grigoriev. To these we can fully include the laudatory words of St. Ephraim the Syrian: “Blessed are these ascetics of Christ, partakers of light and eternal life, pillars of faith, sons of the honest Church, strongholds of the walls of Heavenly Zion.” "God is with us!" (Isa. 8:10; Matt. 1:23), - the words of the ancient prophecy, accomplished in the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, are now heard in churches. The Orthodox Church has lived with this joyful news for more than two thousand years. This confidence inspired the preaching of those who laid its unshakable foundation - the holy apostles. The ancient martyrs shed blood with her for Christ. With this faith, the saints and shepherds worked selflessly, enlightening and confirming countries and peoples in the Orthodox faith. "God is with us!" - this truth imparted firmness of spirit to Archpriests Stefan, Alexander and Philip, and to the countless host of new martyrs and confessors of the 20th century who ascended to Golgotha during the years of the most severe persecution of Orthodoxy.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.