January 7, 2025 – The Nativity according to the flesh of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.
On the night of January 6–7, the Head of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, conducted the festive Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty.
In keeping with tradition, before the start of the night service, Metropolitan Alexander addressed journalists from state and private media, congratulating the people of Kazakhstan on the feast of peace and God’s love for humanity. The briefing was organized with the support of the Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency.
During the Liturgy, the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District was concelebrated by the spiritual father of the Almaty Diocese, Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov), Protopriest Alexander Suvorov, Head of the Public Relations Department of the Metropolitan District and sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral, Protopriest Evgeny Ivanov, Acting Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District, Igumen Philip (Moiseev), member of the Patriarchal Commission on Physical Culture and Sports, Priest Andrey Shklyar, Deputy Sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral, Protopriest Dmitry Sidorov, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat, Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin), Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Metropolitan District, Protodeacon Nikolay Grinkevich, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Vitaly Bystrushkin, Deacon Alexander Piven, Deacon Ioann Zhuchkov.
The main cathedral of the Southern Capital housed a revered shrine—a replica of the reliquary containing the Gifts of the Magi, brought to Almaty from St. Paul’s Monastery on Mount Athos.
Liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Metropolitan District, directed by Honored Artist of Russia and member of the Patriarchal Council on Church Singing, O. N. Ovchinnikov.
Numerous parishioners gathered in the main cathedral of Almaty to glorify the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
Following the communion hymn, Priest Andrey Shklyar read the Nativity Epistle of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.
A multitude of believers partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the clergy and choir performed the glorification before the icon of the feast, singing the troparion, kontakion, and magnification of the Nativity of Christ. Many years were proclaimed for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the Head, archpastors, clergy, and flock of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, the President, authorities, armed forces, and all the people of Kazakhstan.
Metropolitan Alexander addressed the clergy and parishioners with words of congratulations on the feast of Christ, the Giver of Life, and delivered a sermon.
Security and order in the Ascension Cathedral and on the adjacent territory were ensured by representatives of the Union of Cossacks of Semirechye, led by Ataman V. S. Shikhotov, a member of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan.
The archpastor congratulated the cathedral’s protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky on his birthday, presented him with a blessed prosphora, and wished him God’s help in his labors for the benefit of Christ’s Church.
Participants in the festive service were given educational booklets entitled “Holy Days from Christmas to Theophany”, prepared by the Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District under the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander.
“Receive heartfelt congratulations on the all-joyful feast of peace and God’s love—the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! ‘On this day, God descended to earth, and man ascended to Heaven,’ the Church now sings. Each time we celebrate the Nativity of Christ, we are granted the blessing to spiritually contemplate through the depths of centuries the great and ineffable mystery of Divine love for humanity: ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14). In the silence of that blessed night, from the humble cave of Bethlehem, the divine dawn of salvation shone upon the entire universe. In Heaven, the advent of this new era of human existence—the coming of God incarnate—was greeted with jubilant singing by angelic hosts: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men’ (Luke 2:14), and in Bethlehem, with the worship of humble shepherds and the gifts of the wise men of the East. Following the example of angels, shepherds, and wise men, we also now glorify God with psalms and spiritual hymns (Eph. 5:19), giving Him praise and reverently offering thanks. The feast of the Nativity of Christ brings extraordinary consolation to believing hearts. ‘God is with us!’ (Isa. 8:10)—and therefore, we can always be examples of faith, hope, and love to others. ‘God is with us!’—and therefore, He has chosen us to act wherever people need support and comfort. Let us not be discouraged if our strength is small, our opportunities limited, or if the good we accomplish seems insignificant, even if all we can offer is prayer and words of compassion. Let us remember that the Lord, who promised a reward even for a cup of cold water (Mark 9:41), as St. John Chrysostom teaches, ‘accepts the deeds, welcomes the will, esteems the action, and praises the intention.’ From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.
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