Protopriest Valery (Valery Alekseevich Zakharov) was born on June 8, 1951, in Almaty.

In 1969, he graduated from high school.

He received his religious education in the family. Since 1963, he regularly attended church services.

From 1969 to 1971, he served in the Soviet Army.

After military service, he served as a cell attendant and subdeacon to Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov†; 1975) of Almaty and Kazakhstan, who was the spiritual father of the future Protopriest Valery.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Joseph, he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary in 1972, which he graduated from in 1974. Alongside his studies, he served in the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, headed by Bishop Pitirim of Volokolamsk (Nechaev), and was one of his referents and subdeacons.

On July 20, 1975, he was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Pitirim of Volokolamsk and Yuriev (Nechaev†; 2003) at the Resurrection of the Word Church in Moscow, and on July 27, 1975, he was ordained a priest.

On July 28, 1975, he was sent for pastoral service in the Almaty Diocese by Metropolitan Alexy of Tallinn and Estonia, Chairman of the Education Committee under the Holy Synod, where he was accepted into the clergy of St. Nicholas Cathedral.

By the decree of Metropolitan Joseph of Almaty and Kazakhstan on August 25, 1975, he was appointed a priest at St. Nicholas Cathedral in the southern capital.

From May 18, 1976, to October 27, 1987, he served as Secretary of the Almaty Diocesan Administration.

On July 20, 1977, he was appointed Dean of the parishes of Almaty Region.

In 1984, he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a degree of Candidate of Theology. His dissertation topic was "Christian Responsibility for Peace."

Since October 27, 1987, he has been the rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Almaty.

From August 24, 1990, to February 1, 1993, he served as Secretary of the Almaty Diocesan Administration and Dean of the parishes of Almaty and Taldykorgan Regions.

On February 1, 1993, he was relieved of his duties as Secretary and appointed Rector of the Almaty Theological School.

On September 25, 1998, he was relieved of his duties as Rector of the Theological School.

He is a lecturer in "Catechism" (preparatory course) at the Almaty Theological Seminary.

By the decree of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan on April 1, 2010, he was appointed Dean of the Almaty City Church District.

On December 1, 2010, he was appointed Chairman of the Commission on Cossack Affairs of the Metropolitan District of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

He is a member of the Diocesan Council of the Astana and Almaty Diocese.

He served as Chairman of the Diocesan Court of the Astana and Almaty Diocese.

On May 16, 2011, he was appointed head of the Radonezh Charitable Foundation. He serves as a member of the Commission of Military, Cossack Priests under the Synodal Committee for Interaction with the Cossacks. He is a member of the Board of Military Cossack Priests under the Synodal Committee for Interaction with the Cossacks.

He is a member of the Commission on the Canonization of Saints of the Astana and Almaty Diocese.

He is a member of the Award Commission of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan in the field of literature and church art named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov).

He is a member of the Country Council of Russian Compatriots of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

He is married and has one son and five daughters.

Education:

• 1974 – Moscow Theological Seminary.
• 1984 – Moscow Theological Academy.
• He holds the degree of Candidate of Theology.

Place of Service:

Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia (Rector).

Church Obedience:

• Dean of the Almaty Church District.
• Chairman of the Commission on Cossack Affairs of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan.
• Member of the Commission on the Canonization of Saints of the Astana and Almaty Diocese.

Hierarchical Awards:

• 1975 — Epigonation;
• 1975 — Skufia;
• 1976 — Pectoral Cross;
• 1977 — Rank of Protopriest;
• 1978 — Palitsa;
• 1978 — Cross with Decorations;
• 1987 — Mitre;
• 2011 — Right to Serve the Divine Liturgy with the Royal Doors Open until the "Our Father."

Church Awards:

• 1982 — Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh III Degree;
• 1985 — Order of St. Prince Vladimir III Degree;
• 1991 — Order of St. Daniel of Moscow III Degree;
• 1995 — Order of St. Prince Vladimir II Degree;
• 2000 — Order of St. Innocent of Moscow III Degree;
• 2011 — Order "Algys" (Gratitude);
• 2011 — Medal "Algys" (Gratitude);
• 2012 — Medal for the 140th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Turkestan Diocese;
• 2013 — Medal for the 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan;
• 2015 — Order of the Confessor Nicholas, Metropolitan of Almaty;
• 2016 — Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov II Degree;
• 2017 — Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Repose of the Confessor Sebastian of Karaganda";
• 2017 — Jubilee Medal "145 Years of the Establishment of the Turkestan Diocese";
• 2017 — Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church."

Secular Awards:

• 2001 — Jubilee Medal "10 Years of Independence of Kazakhstan";
• 2016 — Order of "Kurmet".