The Feast Day of the Great Martyr Barbara Prayerfully Celebrated in Almaty

December 17, 2024 – On the feast day of the Holy and Glorious Great Martyr Barbara of Heliopolis, a festive Divine Liturgy was held at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Almaty.

The northern chapel of St. Nicholas Cathedral is consecrated in honor of the Great Martyr Barbara, and its altar houses a sacred relic of Orthodoxy—a reliquary containing the holy relics of the Heliopolitan martyr for Christ.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the sacristan of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Protopriest Igor Svetlichny, celebrated the Divine Liturgy.

Serving with the sacristan were: Protopriest Vyacheslav Pugachev, Chairman of the Almaty Diocesan Social Service Commission and spiritual father of the “Mercy” service; Priest Ioann Livinsky, Vice-Rector for Pastoral Care of Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary; Priest Vyacheslav Isikov, Deputy Chairman of the Diocesan Social Service Commission; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolis; Hierodeacon Athanasius (Kozel); Deacon Ioann Churkin; and Deacon Alexander Voronin.

Liturgical hymns were sung by the cathedral’s choir under the direction of Olga Solomonova.

The sermon after the Communion hymn was delivered by Priest Ioann Livinsky.

The Liturgy concluded with a magnification before the reliquary containing the relics of the Great Martyr Barbara.

Protopriest Igor congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the chapel’s feast day—the commemoration of the Great Martyr Barbara—and addressed those gathered with a homily. The sacristan of the cathedral reminded the faithful that the saint has received grace from God to preserve Orthodox Christians who pray to her from sudden death without repentance and Communion.

Special congratulations and well-wishes were extended to those who bear the name of the Great Martyr Barbara through Holy Baptism.