Address by the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan of Astana and Kazakhstan, Alexander, on the occasion of the beginning of the Nativity Fast, 2024:

Esteemed archpastors, venerable fathers, brothers and sisters, residents of the land of Kazakhstan!

The days of the Nativity Fast are beginning, and the Church of Christ calls every faithful person to sanctify this period with intensified prayer, to adorn it with fasting, and to fill it with deeds of mercy in order to meet the feast of peace and God’s love for people—Christmas, our Lord and Savior.

The meaning of the fast, as the holy fathers say, lies in the transformation of mind and heart, in correcting the way of life to align with the Gospel. Focused observance of the home prayer rule, regular attendance at church services, abstaining from festive foods, and being mindful of words and thoughts—all create favorable conditions for true, deep repentance, victory over sin, and union with God. Therefore, the Nativity Fast, while being a time of penitential labor and struggle against the dominion of the flesh, is also a time of joy and hope.

Constant remembrance of God is a great virtue that can protect a person from moral falls, fill him with grace, and elevate him to Heaven. This is spoken of by the Psalmist David: "I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not moved. I remembered God, and was gladdened" (Ps. 15:8; 76:3). St. Gregory the Theologian teaches: "To remember God is more important than to breathe." Just as air is necessary for people's lives, so too for the life of the human soul it is essential to keep the memory of God.

The path to righteousness, to holiness, to union with Christ consists of small steps taken daily and hourly. The main thing on this path is consistency. "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much." (Luke 16:10), warns us the Savior.

Following the commandments, steadfastness in prayer, struggling with passions, and active love for neighbors are all hard work. But it is important to remember that we are not alone in our struggles—we are strengthened by the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, supported by angels and guided by the saints of God, and most importantly, the Lord Himself is constantly with us.

At every Divine Liturgy, we hear Christ's call to unite with Him by receiving His most pure Body and tasting His life-giving Blood (Mt. 26:26-28). Holy Communion, taken with faith and sincere repentance, is the most effective remedy against passions and vices. "We should not stay away from the Lord's Communion because we recognize ourselves as sinners. But with even more and more thirst, we must rush to it for the healing of the soul and the purification of the spirit," says St. John Cassian the Roman. Let us strive to participate in the Eucharist, as this is not only our urgent need but, most importantly, what Christ Himself desires. St. John Chrysostom in one of the prayers before communion pronounces: "I am not worthy, Master and Lord, that You should enter under the roof of my soul. But since You, as a lover of mankind, wish to dwell in me, I boldly approach."

I call upon you, venerable fathers, dear brothers and sisters, to dedicate this Nativity Fast to fervent prayers for the granting of blessed peace to countries and peoples, for the eradication of hatred and malice from human hearts, and for the increase of love. From the Holy Scriptures and the history of our Church, we know that prayer, combined with repentance, fasting, and good deeds, works miracles.

Let the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, who served the great mystery of godliness (1 Tim. 3:16), and the prayers of the new martyrs and confessors of Kazakhstan enable us all to benefit ourselves and our neighbors by observing the Nativity Fast and meeting the feast of peace and God's goodwill toward people—the Nativity of Lord Jesus Christ. "not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord" (Rom. 12:11).

HEAD OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF KAZAKHSTAN

Metropolitan of Astana and Kazakhstan