On Wednesday of the Week of the Veneration of the Cross, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos in the Akzhar District

March 26, 2025 – Wednesday of the Week of the Veneration of the Cross of Great Lent – the midpoint (Mid-Pentecost) of the Holy Forty Days.

Wednesday of this week is referred to in the Typikon (the principal book regulating the liturgical order of the Orthodox Church) as “Mid-Lenten Wednesday.”

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts of Saint Gregory the Dialogist at the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Akzhar district of Almaty.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Dean of the Parishes of Almaty and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in Almaty, Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov; Rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Hieromonk Alexy (Cherevtsov); Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin); Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Office, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

The hymns of the Liturgy were sung by the men’s choir of the Almaty Diocese under the direction of Deacon Alexander Piven.

Beginning on this day and continuing until Great Wednesday, a special litany for those “preparing for Holy Illumination” (Baptism) is added to the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts:

“Let us, the faithful, pray to the Lord for our brothers preparing for Holy Illumination and for their salvation. That the Lord our God may establish and strengthen them, enlighten them with the illumination of understanding and piety, make them worthy in due time of the washing of regeneration, the remission of sins, and the garment of incorruption; that He may beget them of water and the Spirit, grant them the perfection of faith, and number them among His holy and chosen flock.”

The homily after the Communion verse was delivered by Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov.

At the conclusion of the service, the veneration of the Precious Cross of Christ was performed.

The Head of the Metropolitan District addressed the faithful with a sermon.

Metropolitan Alexander warmly congratulated Hieromonk Alexy (Cherevtsov) on the 20th anniversary of his monastic tonsure and wished him God’s help in his pastoral labors and obediences.

“By God’s mercy we have reached the Wednesday of the Week of the Veneration of the Cross – a special day that marks the midpoint of the Holy Forty Days. Today, through its liturgical hymns, the Holy Church encourages its faithful children, calling them to further ascetical efforts and labors: ‘Having reached the midpoint of the Fast, let us fervently set out upon the path ahead with youthful zeal, journeying with God, that we may joyfully meet the Pascha – the Resurrection of Christ.’ Throughout the entire week of the Veneration of the Cross, the Cross of Christ lies on the analogion in the center of the church, and during the chanting of special stichera, the faithful repeatedly bow before the Life-Giving Wood. Turning our prayerful gaze toward the Crucified One, Who suffered for our salvation, we receive spiritual consolation and support, we are strengthened in faith and confirmed in piety. The example of Christ, Who humbled Himself ‘unto death, even the death of the Cross’ (Phil. 2:8), reminds us of one of the most important Christian virtues – humility. At the midpoint of the Lenten journey, after the labors of abstinence, fervent prayer, compunctionate weeping, and works of mercy, each of us is in danger of encountering the ‘leaven of the Pharisees’ – the temptation of vainglory. To protect our mind and heart from pride and hypocrisy, from arrogance and judgment of our neighbors, we are called to fix our gaze upon the Cross of our Savior and to reflect on the fact that ‘we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace’ (Eph. 1:7).” — From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.