On the Feast of the Synaxis of John the Forerunner, the Head of the Metropolitan District Celebrated the Liturgy at the Kazan Cathedral in the Southern Capital

January 20, 2025 – the Afterfeast of Theophany and the Synaxis of John the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the oldest church in Almaty, the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Protopriest Valery Zakharov, Dean of Almaty Churches and Rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral; Protopriest Evgeny Vorobyov, Rector of the Almaty Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”; Protopriest Alexander Zyryanov, Dean of the Ili Church District; Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin); Priest Georgy Rublinsky, Sacristan of the Kazan Cathedral; Priest Ioann Konoplev, Sacristan of the Adrian and Natalia Church; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; and Deacon Konstantin Volnyagin.

The Liturgy’s hymns were sung by the Kazan Cathedral Choir, directed by M.S. Chistyakova.

The Metropolitan offered prayers for the increase of love and the eradication of all hatred and malice.

The post-Communion sermon was delivered by Protopriest Alexander Zyryanov.

The Liturgy concluded with hymns glorifying Theophany and John the Baptist.

Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the parishioners on the Feast of Theophany and the commemoration of “the greatest among those born of women, the prophet of the Old and New Testaments,” before delivering a sermon.

“Today, the Holy Church celebrates the Afterfeast of the Theophany of the Lord and specially honors the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. In the Orthodox Church, it is customary to commemorate, on the day following major feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God, those saints who played a pivotal role in the sacred events being celebrated. Thus, on the day after Theophany, we honor the one who served the mystery of Christ’s Baptism, laying his hand on the head of the Savior. The Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John, the greatest of the prophets, marks the conclusion of the Old Testament history and heralds the dawn of the New Testament era. The holy prophet John bore witness to the coming of the Only Begotten Son of God, who took on human flesh. He baptized Him in the waters of the Jordan and was deemed worthy to behold the mystical revelation of the Holy Trinity on the day of the Savior’s Baptism. The Forerunner of the Lord was the son of the priest Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth. The Archangel Gabriel announced his birth, revealing in the temple to his father that a son would be born to him. Prayed for and foretold from above, the child was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb. From a young age, the righteous John prepared himself in the wilderness for his great ministry through a strict life, fasting, and prayer. At about the age of 30, he began preaching repentance, preparing the people to accept the Savior of the world. In the words of the Church hymns, Saint John was “a bright morning star,” outshining the brilliance of all other “stars”—the righteous of the Old Testament—and announcing to the world the arrival of the spiritual Sun, Christ the Life-Giver. Shortly after baptizing the Savior, Saint John met a martyr’s death, beheaded by order of King Herod. As we celebrate the memory of the holy Forerunner of the Lord, John, today, we must once again recall the central message of his preaching and reflect on its importance: ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’ Repentance is an essential condition for our spiritual life, a preparation for communion with God, and the path to unity with Him. True repentance begins with an awareness of one’s own wrongs and God’s ineffable mercy, turning away from sin and a contrite heart for the evil committed. Genuine repentance is a profound transformation of human existence, a renunciation of willful sinfulness and selfish living, and the beginning of a new life according to the commandments of the Gospel, striving for the truth of Christ and in love for God and neighbor. As we prayerfully remember the great prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist, let us ask that through his intercession and prayers, he may grant us the gates of deep heartfelt repentance, enabling us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, where God dwells with those who love Him.” — From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.