Divine Service of the Most Blessed Saturday at the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty

On April 19, 2025 — Holy and Great Saturday of Passion Week — the Orthodox Church commemorates the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resting of His most pure Body in the tomb, His descent into Hades, the Savior’s victory over death, and the deliverance of the souls of the righteous who had awaited His coming in faith.

At the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty, the Great Vespers was celebrated in conjunction with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan prayed during the divine service.

The service of Great and Holy Saturday is unique both in theological content and structure. It begins with Great Vespers, which seamlessly transitions into the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. Old Testament prophecies about the Resurrection of Christ are read. In place of the Trisagion hymn, the verse from the Epistle to the Galatians is sung: “As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27), recalling the ancient tradition of baptizing the catechumens on this day. The Epistle reading (Rom. 6:3–11) expounds the meaning and mystical power of Holy Baptism. With the reading of the Apostle, the Saturday devoted to the burial of the Savior comes to a close.

Before the Gospel reading, the hymn “Arise, O God, judge the earth!” is sung triumphantly. During the singing of this hymn, the clergy change from dark Lenten vestments into bright, festal ones. The adornments of the church also take on a Paschal appearance. This change of vestments recalls how in ancient times, newly baptized Christians entered the church in white garments after the readings of the prophecies of Holy Saturday and also symbolically reflects the angels who proclaimed the Resurrection of Christ.

The Gospel reading (Matt. 28:1–20) tells of the Resurrection of the Savior.

The Cherubic Hymn is replaced by the unique hymn sung only once a year:

“Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and in fear and trembling stand, pondering nothing earthly-minded. For the King of kings and Lord of lords comes forth to be slain and given as food to the faithful. Before Him go the ranks of angels with all Principalities and Authorities, the many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, veiling their faces, and crying aloud the hymn: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.”

On Great Saturday, by the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a prayer for peace in the Holy City of Jerusalem and throughout the universe is offered in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church. After the augmented litany, the clergy prayed before the Holy Shroud in the center of the church for the deliverance of Jerusalem — a place dear to the heart of every believer, where the great events of our salvation took place — from war, strife, and civil conflict, and also for the cessation of all hatred and enmity throughout the world and the increase of love in human hearts.

At the dismissal of the Liturgy, the blessing of bread and wine prescribed by the Typikon was performed. This blessing is carried out annually in memory of the ancient Christians who, remaining in the church after the Liturgy until Paschal Matins, partook of the blessed bread and wine to strengthen themselves for the vigil of this sacred and saving night.

On Holy Saturday, following the conclusion of the Liturgy, Orthodox Christians bring Paschal foods — kulich (Paschal cakes), paskha (curd desserts), and colored eggs — to the churches for blessing. The clergy of the Ascension Cathedral performed the Blessing of the Paschal Foods.

During Holy Saturday, Metropolitan Alexander visited several parishes of the southern capital. The Head of the Metropolis inspected the readiness of the churches and surrounding areas for the feast, and conversed with the clergy.

Metropolitan Alexander will celebrate the Paschal Midnight Office, the Procession, Paschal Matins, and the Divine Liturgy at the main church of Almaty — the Ascension Cathedral. The service will begin at 23:30.