Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at the Church of Saint Nicholas in Kostanay

April 3, 2025 – Thursday of the 5th Week of Great Lent, the commemoration day of Venerable Seraphim of Vyritsa and Venerable Pachomius of Nerekhta.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts of Saint Gregory the Dialogist at the Church of Saint Nicholas in the city of Kostanay.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolitan District were: Hieromonk Gennady (Burdyuzha), Secretary of the Kostanay Diocese; Protopriest Vasily Korolyov, Sacristan of the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen; Hegumen Innokenty (Pomogalov), cleric of the main diocesan cathedral; Hieromonk Dimitry (Baydek), Sacristan of the Dormition Cathedral in Astana; Hieromonk Silouan (Sinegubov), cleric of the Church of Saint Seraphim of Sarov in Kazakhstan’s capital; Protopriest Oleg Kalmykov, Dean of the Lisakovsk Deanery and Rector of the Church of Saint Righteous John of Kronstadt in the city of Lisakovsk; Protopriest Vitaly Kleba, Rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael in Kostanay; Protopriest Vitaly Gutsan, Rector of the Church of Saint Nicholas in Kostanay; Protopriest Alexy Mostovshchikov, Rector of the Church of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Fedorovka, Kostanay Region; Priest Andrey Krutin, Dean of the Kostanay Deanery and Rector of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Zatobolsk; clergy of the Kostanay Diocese; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Eliazar Aitbakin; Deacon Alexander Piven; and Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

The choir of the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in Kostanay sang under the direction of T. Zhebrak.

The homily following the Communion verse was delivered by Hieromonk Dimitry (Baydek).

The Liturgy concluded with the magnification of Venerable Seraphim of Vyritsa and Venerable Pachomius of Nerekhta. Afterwards, the Head of the Metropolitan District addressed the faithful with words of spiritual instruction:

“In the history of the Russian Orthodox Church of the 20th century, the life of Venerable Seraphim of Vyritsa occupies a special place, filled with ascetic struggles. Once a well-known merchant in Saint Petersburg, Vasily Nikolaevich Muravyov—such was the secular name of Venerable Seraphim—made a decision that defies ordinary human understanding. Responding wholeheartedly to the Gospel call of the Savior, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me’ (Matt. 19:21), he gave away his possessions to monasteries and those in need, and received monastic tonsure with the name Seraphim—in honor of Saint Seraphim of Sarov.

This act required the highest courage and unwavering faith, for the October Revolution of 1917 had already taken place and the dreadful years of persecution against Holy Orthodoxy had begun. Having received the monastic tonsure at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Hieroschemamonk Seraphim became the spiritual father of the monastery.

From 1930, when he fell seriously ill, until his repose in 1949, he lived in Vyritsa near Leningrad. His eldership coincided with the era of blood-stained atheism, the Great Patriotic War, and postwar devastation. Throughout those years, Elder Seraphim bore witness to Christ by his life, guiding countless souls to salvation.

For his courage and endurance, for his love for God and people, the Lord granted him great spiritual wisdom, the gift of healing, insight, and prophecy. Both during his lifetime and after his repose in the Heavenly abodes, Venerable Seraphim helped and continues to help all who turn to him.

After the sorrowful years of persecution against faith and the Church of Christ, we now have the opportunity to partake in the spiritual richness of his sanctity—this truly inexhaustible source of living ‘water springing up into everlasting life’ (John 4:14). May the example of active piety, preserved in the life of the Elder of Vyritsa and in the people’s memory of his ascetic life and monastic labor, inspire us to cleanse our souls and hearts, to follow the good example of Orthodox saints who truly fulfilled the commandment of love for God and neighbor.” (From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander)

The Life of Venerable Pachomius of Nerekhta

Venerable Pachomius of Nerekhta was born in the city of Vladimir at the beginning of the 14th century into the family of a priest.

He received monastic tonsure at the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery in Vladimir. Later, he was appointed hegumen of the newly established Monastery of Saints Constantine and Helen near Vladimir by Saint Alexius, Metropolitan of Moscow.

Having arranged monastic life in the new monastery, Saint Pachomius left it in pursuit of a life of solitude. He settled on the bank of the Solonitsa River near the confluence with the Gridyovka stream, close to the village of Nerekhta, in a place historically known as Sypanovo.

With the help of the local people of Nerekhta, the Venerable Father built a wooden church dedicated to the Life-Giving Trinity. For his ascetic companions, who gathered around him, he established monastic cells, and for pilgrims – a guesthouse, where he personally served those who came.

For the new church, Venerable Pachomius painted an icon of the Most Holy Trinity. At the foot of the hill where the monastery stood, a holy spring appeared through the prayers of the Elder of Sypanovo.

On March 21, 1384, Venerable Pachomius peacefully reposed in the Lord and was buried in the Trinity Church he had built.

Three centuries later, in 1675, the Russian Orthodox Church glorified the Elder of Nerekhta among the saints in the rank of Venerable.

Today, the holy relics of Venerable Pachomius rest beneath the altar of the revived Trinity-Sypanov Pachomius-Nerekhta Convent, restored in 1993 through the labors of Metropolitan Alexander, then Archbishop of Kostroma and Galich.

ORTHODOX CHURСH OF KAZAKHSTAN

Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at the Church of Saint Nicholas in Kostanay

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