On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty

February 16, 2025 – the Sunday of the Prodigal Son; the Afterfeast of the Meeting of the Lord; the commemoration of the Righteous Simeon the God-Receiver and the Prophetess Anna, the Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan, and the Pious Prince Roman of Uglich.

On the second preparatory Sunday before Great Lent, the Gospel parable of the Prodigal Son is read during the Divine Liturgy (Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, verses 1–32). The Church presents an example of God’s inexhaustible mercy toward all sinners who turn to Him in sincere repentance. The fullness and joy of life are found in the grace-filled union with the Lord and in constant communion with Him, while estrangement from this communion becomes a source of all afflictions.

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

Serving alongside the Head of the Kazakhstani Metropolitan District were: the Dean of the Churches of Almaty, Rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral, Protopriest Valery Zakharov; the Rector of the Almaty Church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” Protopriest Evgeny Vorobyov; the Sacristan of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral, Protopriest Alexander Gaichenya; the Head of the Public Relations Department of the Metropolitan District, Sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral, Protopriest Alexander Suvorov; a member of the Patriarchal Commission on Physical Culture and Sports, Hegumen Philip (Moiseev); the Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky); Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin); the Sacristan of the Adriano-Nataliev Church, Priest Ioann Konoplev; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Vitaly Bystrushkin, Deacon Alexander Piven, Deacon Ioann Zhuchkov, and Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the Choir of the Metropolitan District (Conductor – Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov, Choir Master – V. Dudareva) and the Choir of the Ascension Cathedral (Conductor – O. Kuznetsova).

The homily after the Communion Hymn was delivered by Protopriest Alexander Gaichenya.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a glorification was performed for the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, after which Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the Sunday and the continuation of the celebration of the Meeting of the Lord, and delivered a sermon.