On the Eve of the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the All-Night Vigil in the Main Church of the Southern Capital

On the evening of April 12, 2025, on the eve of the great Twelve Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the All-Night Vigil at the Ascension Cathedral in the city of Almaty.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan were: the spiritual father of the Almaty Diocese, Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov); the sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty and Head of the District’s Department for Public Relations, Protopriest Alexander Suvorov; and the cathedral clergy.

The hymns were sung by the choir of the Metropolitan District (conductor – Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov, choirmaster – V. Dudareva) and the choir of the Ascension Cathedral (conductor – E. Boguslavets).

At Great Vespers, according to the Church Typikon, a litia (fervent supplication) was celebrated, with the blessing of bread, wine, wheat, and oil.

At Matins, following the reading of the Gospel passage, Metropolitan Alexander performed the rite of the blessing of the palm branches – the branches of willow and sallow – in commemoration of the triumphal entry of the King of Glory, our Lord Jesus Christ, into Jerusalem to voluntarily suffer. During the chanting of Psalm 50, the archpastor censed the branches, read the prayer for their blessing: “O Lord our God, Who sittest upon the Cherubim…”, and then sprinkled the branches brought by the faithful with holy water, pronouncing the words: “These branches are blessed by the sprinkling of this holy water, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

After the blessing of the branches, the Head of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan addressed the faithful with a homily in which he spoke about the spiritual meaning and significance of each of the upcoming days of Holy Week.

The use of palm branches and lit candles at the All-Night Vigil for Palm Sunday, according to the testimony of the Holy Fathers and teachers of the Church, dates back to ancient times. The fresh green branches serve as a sign of the Savior’s victory over death and of Christ’s Resurrection.

During the chanting of the Canon of the feast, “The wellsprings of the abyss appeared, untouched by moisture…”, the faithful were anointed with holy oil.

On the very day of the feast, Metropolitan Alexander will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral in the city of Almaty. The service will begin at 9:00.