Metropolitan Alexander presented Patriarchal liturgical and hierarchical awards to the clergy of the Almaty Diocese

April 14, 2025. Almaty. On the occasion of the Feast of Holy Pascha, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan presented Patriarchal liturgical and hierarchical awards to the clergy of the Almaty Diocese.

The solemn ceremony took place in the spiritual, cultural, and administrative center of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov).

Those present at the event included: Secretary of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan and Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov; Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky); Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; and Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Office, Protodeacon Roman Golovin.

Addressing those gathered, Metropolitan Alexander said:

Today we have gathered here, in the spiritual, cultural, and administrative center named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), to present liturgical and hierarchical awards to the clergy laboring in the Almaty Diocese, on the ancient and blessed land of Kazakhstan. Church awards are a visible expression of gratitude and appreciation for various kinds of work for the benefit of Orthodoxy. This is a traditional form of honoring the clergy for their services to the Church and the people of God – in pastoral ministry, theological, scholarly, and administrative work, the revival of spiritual life, the restoration of churches, charitable, social, and educational efforts.

I would like to address you all with words of heartfelt appreciation. You are my co-workers, sharing in the labors directed at strengthening and developing various aspects of Church life in the Almaty Diocese. Therefore, everyone working in this field bears a special responsibility – regardless of rank, position, or scope of duties,” the hierarch stated in particular.

Following his greeting, the Primate of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan conferred the following Patriarchal liturgical and hierarchical awards upon the clergy of the Almaty Diocese:

• the right to celebrate the Divine Liturgy with open Royal Doors up to “Let us who mystically represent the Cherubim…” was granted to: Igumen Vladimir (Utegenov), cleric of the Protection Church in Almaty; Protopriest Anatoly Boyko, rector of the Church of St. Alexius in the village of Baiterek; and Protopriest Alexander Ievlev, cleric of the Ascension Cathedral of the Southern capital and head of the youth educational project “Masters’ Upper Room”;
• the right to wear a pectoral cross with decorations was granted to:

Protopriest Alexander Ageyev, rector of the Church of St. Seraphim in the village of Chapaevo;

and Protopriest Viktor Popoyanidi, cleric of the Protection Church in the Southern capital.

The Head of the Metropolitan District wished the clergy God’s mercy, zealous service to the Church of Christ, health, and long life.

On behalf of the award recipients, words of gratitude were expressed to His Eminence by Protopriest Alexander Ievlev, who thanked the archpastor for his high trust and fatherly care.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, a Polychronion (Many Years) was proclaimed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, the Head of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan, and to those who had received awards.

After the festive ceremony, a group photograph was taken.