The Final Diocesan Assembly of the Petropavlovsk Diocese Held

December 16, 2024 – Petropavlovsk. The diocesan assembly of the clergy of the Petropavlovsk and Bulaevo Diocese was held at the spiritual and administrative center of the Ascension Cathedral.

Among the participants were deans, rectors and clergy of parishes, monastics, heads of diocesan departments, diocesan administration staff, and those responsible for social, educational, and missionary activities in the parishes.

The assembly was opened by Archbishop Vladimir of Petropavlovsk and Bulaevo, who delivered a report on the key events that took place in the diocese over the past year. The Archbishop also shared his wishes for the clergy and diocesan departments for the coming year.

Subsequently, reports were presented by the following:

• Hieromonk Seraphim (Maximov), Head of the Diocesan Department for Prison Ministry;
• S.P. Ivanova, Chief Accountant of the Diocese;
• I.S. Ulanov, Head of the Diocesan Department for Religious Education and Catechesis.

As part of the assembly, the regional stage of the International Christmas Readings on the theme “The 80th Anniversary of the Great Victory: Memory and Spiritual Experience of Generations” was inaugurated in the assembly hall of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan in the North Kazakhstan Region.

The conference, chaired by Archbishop Vladimir, was attended by diocesan clergy, staff and heads of relevant diocesan departments, teachers and students of Sunday schools, and parishioners.

During the plenary session, the following presentations were delivered:

• “Sources of Victory in the Great Patriotic War” – L.A. Grivenna, Head of the Department of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan University named after M. Kozybayev, Candidate of Historical Sciences;
• “Kazakhstan’s Contribution to Victory in World War II” – S.K. Suleimenova, Chair of the Scientific and Expert Group of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences;
• “The Opening of Parishes and the Revival of Church Life in Kostanay Land During the Great Patriotic War” – Priest Andrey Krutin, Head of the Department for Canonization of Saints of the Kostanay and Rudny Diocese;
• “Folk Oral Creativity During the Great Patriotic War” – E.V. Morgunova, Literature Teacher at the First Public Educational Lyceum;
• “The Issue of Neglected Military Graves in Petropavlovsk” – S.V. Tsvetkova, Methodologist at the Diocesan Department of Religious Education and Catechesis;
• “The Help of the Clergy and Believers of the North Kazakhstan Region to the Front During the Great Patriotic War” – Priest Mikhail Berezin, Secretary of the Commission for Canonization of Saints of the Kazakhstan Metropolis.

The second part of the event featured a festive concert dedicated to Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

At the conclusion of the assembly, His Eminence summarized the work and thanked the clergy and laity of the diocese for their labors for the benefit of the Orthodox Church in Northern Kazakhstan.

On December 17, the feast day of the Great Martyr Barbara, participants of the diocesan assembly prayed at the Divine Liturgy in the Ascension Cathedral, which was led by Archbishop Vladimir.