Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Divine Liturgy in Almaty’s Main Cathedral on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers

January 5, 2025 – 28th Sunday after Pentecost, the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ; Commemoration of the Holy Fathers.

On the final Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, the Orthodox Church honors the ancestors of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh, beginning with the Old Testament Patriarch Abraham and concluding with the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. Special commemoration is also given to the Prophet Daniel and the three holy youths—Ananias, Azarias, and Misael.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan, Bishop Chrisanthus of Shymkent and Turkestan; Protopriest Valery Zakharov, Dean of Almaty churches and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Protopriest Yevgeny Vorobyov, Rector of the Church of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in Almaty; Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov), spiritual father of the Almaty Diocese; Protopriest Vyacheslav Churbanov, Head of the Metropolitan District’s Public Relations Department and Sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral; Protopriest Alexander Suvorov, Acting Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Metropolitan District’s Information and Publishing Department; Protopriest Dmitry Sidorov, Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin); Priest Daniil Bobylev, Head of the Almaty Theological Seminary’s Correspondence Department; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Administrative Secretary to the Metropolitan; Priest Ioann Konoplev, Sacristan of the Adriano-Natalievsky Church; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Vitaly Bystrushkin, Deacon Ioann Churkin, Deacon Alexander Piven, and Deacon Ioann Zhuchkov.

The choir of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, directed by O.N. Ovchinnikov, Honored Artist of Russia, sang the liturgical responses alongside the cathedral choir under the direction of O. Kuznetsova.

During the service, the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew was read, containing the genealogy of the Savior and the narrative of His Birth from the Most Holy Virgin Mary.

Protopriest Yevgeny Ivanov delivered the sermon after the Communion hymn.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Alexander addressed the clergy and laity with a pastoral sermon:

“Today’s Sunday brings us closer to the radiant feast of the Nativity of Christ through the commemoration of the Holy Fathers—the Old Testament righteous ones, who are the ancestors and kin of the Savior according to the flesh. During the Liturgy, we heard a special Gospel passage containing the genealogy of the Lord. Through these brief lines and the list of names, the Evangelist Matthew reminds us of the entire history of the Old Testament, when people ‘sat in darkness and the shadow of death’ (Matt. 4:16) as they awaited the Savior of the world, and the righteous were saved by faith in the coming Messiah. Each name represents a whole life: here is God-loving Abraham, the father of the faithful; righteous Ruth, who left her homeland and embraced faith in the One Creator; King David, the psalmist; and Solomon, renowned for his wisdom. Among them are sinners and righteous ones, prominent figures and simple people about whom we know nothing. The Gospel narrative testifies that the Son of God entered earthly history, fulfilled the long anticipation of many generations, and took on our human nature to heal it from sin and sanctify it with divine grace. ‘When you hear,’ says St. John Chrysostom about this passage, ‘that the Son of God is also the Son of David and Abraham, do not doubt that you, a son of Adam, will also become a son of God.’ Following the enumeration of the Lord’s earthly ancestors comes the joyful proclamation of the Savior’s birth from the Most Pure Virgin Mary. By reflecting on the mystery of the Incarnation, we discover for ourselves ‘the riches of God’s goodness, forbearance, and patience’ (Rom. 2:4) and learn to be grateful to our Savior for allowing us to know and believe in His love (1 John 4:16).” From Metropolitan Alexander’s sermon on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers.