On Great Thursday – the Day of the Institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist – Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Alexander Nevsky Church of Astana

April 17, 2025 – Great and Holy Thursday of Holy Week. On this day, the liturgical services commemorate four of the most important events in the life of Christ the Savior: the Mystical Supper, during which the Lord instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist; the washing of the disciples’ feet as a sign of deep humility and love; the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane; and the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas unto suffering and death.

A distinctive feature of the Liturgy on Great Thursday is the threefold chanting, instead of the Cherubic Hymn, of the prayer: “Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant: for I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies, neither will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief I confess Thee: remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom.” This hymn is also sung repeatedly during Communion and in place of the prayer “Let our mouths be filled.” The Gospel reading for Great Thursday, recounting the events of the Mystical Supper, Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane, His arrest, and trial before the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, consists of several selected passages (Matt. 26:1–20; John 13:3–17; Matt. 26:21–39; Luke 22:43–45; Matt. 26:40–75; Matt. 27:1–2).

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Alexander Nevsky Church of the women’s monastery in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Searcher for the Lost” in the city of Astana.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev), dean of the parishes of the capital; Hieromonk Modest (Drozdov), spiritual father of the monastery; Protopriest Mikhail Zinchenko, a cleric of the Alexander Nevsky Church; Deacon Evgeny Gudz, Deacon Mikhail Chumakov, and Deacon Ioann Yanchuk.

The choir of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral of the capital sang under the direction of N.V. Mazurina.

Praying at the service were: Igumeniya Sevastiana (Plotnikova), the abbess of the monastery dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God “Searcher for the Lost,” along with the sisters of the monastery; staff of the diocesan administration; pilgrims and parishioners of the church.

The homily after the Communion verse was delivered by Hieromonk Modest (Drozdov).

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Alexander addressed the faithful with an archpastoral sermon and congratulated the communicants on receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ.