Commemoration Day of the Great Martyr Irene and Venerable Jacob of Zheleznoborov. Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Representation of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan in Moscow

On May 18, 2025 - the commemoration day of the Holy Great Martyr Irene and Venerable Jacob of Zheleznoborov, and the feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice” - Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love, and their mother Sophia at the Patriarchal Metochion in the city of Moscow - the Representation of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan were: the Vice-Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Candidate of Theology, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Igumen Agafangel (Gagua); the sacristan of the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love, and their mother Sophia, Hieromonk Anthony (Drobyazko); and clergy of the Metochion.

The choir of the church sang under the direction of Anna Rozhnova.

Praying at the service were: the Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, choir director of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan, and member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing, O. N. Ovchinnikov; staff members of the Representation, benefactors of the Patriarchal Metochion, and parishioners of the church.

During the Liturgy, petitions were offered for the health and well-being of Metropolitan Alexander - who was celebrating his birthday on May 18.

At the conclusion of the Divine Service, the Paschal magnification was proclaimed. Then, His Eminence Metropolitan Alexander proclaimed the Paschal greeting “Christ is Risen!” in various ancient and modern languages - and sprinkled the faithful with holy water.

On behalf of the clergy and the faithful, the sacristan of the church, Hieromonk Anthony (Drobyazko), congratulated the Head of the Metropolis on the Feast of the Radiant Resurrection of Christ and on his birthday. “On this special day for you, we pray for your health and prosperity. May the Lord - through the prayers of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan and all the saints who have shone forth in the Kazakh land - grant you unfailing help in the continuation of your archpastoral labors for the good of Christ’s Church,” said Father Anthony.

In his reply, Metropolitan Alexander sincerely thanked the clergy and laity for their kind words and well-wishes - and entreated all participants of the Divine Service for fervent prayers that the Lord might send down His help in the continuation of his ministry to Christ’s Church in the land of Kazakhstan.

Congratulatory letters were received in the name of the archpastor from permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate and of Local Orthodox Churches; from government leaders of Kazakhstan and Russia, deputies of the Parliaments of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, akims of regions and cities of Kazakhstan, members of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, leaders of traditional religious confessions of Kazakhstan and Russia, and public organizations.