In Almaty, the Commemoration Day of Blessed Matrona of Moscow Was Prayerfully Honored

May 2, 2025 — the commemoration day of Blessed Matrona of Moscow.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Paschal Divine Liturgy at the Matrona Church of the Iveron-Seraphim Convent in Almaty, marking the patronal feast of the church.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev), Dean of the Parishes of Astana; Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat; Hieromonk Heruvim (Levin); Priest Peter Bakhtiyarov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the Almaty Theological Seminary; Priest Alexander Shishlov, Head of the Seminary Chancellery; Deacon Ioann Churkin; Deacon Bogdan Boyko; and Deacon Ilya Vorobyev.

Praying at the service were: Hegumeness Lyubov (Yakushkina), Abbess of the Iveron-Seraphim Convent, with the sisters of the monastery; N.V. Parshikova, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; T.V. Zubkova, Head of Educational Projects Department of Rossotrudnichestvo; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; and students of the Almaty Theological Seminary.

For veneration by the faithful, a reliquary containing a particle of the holy relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow was brought to the church.

The choir of the Sophia Cathedral of the Iveron-Seraphim Monastery, directed by O. Usoltseva, sang the liturgical hymns.

During the Liturgy, the Head of the Metropolitan District offered special prayers for the repose of the newly departed Archbishop Anthony (Moskalenko).

The sermon after the Communion verse was delivered by Hieromonk Heruvim (Levin).

The Liturgy concluded with the singing of the magnification to the Radiant Resurrection of Christ and to Blessed Eldress Matrona, after which the Metropolitan proclaimed the Paschal greeting “Christ is Risen!” in various ancient and modern languages.

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the patronal feast and addressed the worshipers with words of spiritual exhortation.

At the conclusion of the service, the hierarch sprinkled the faithful with holy water.