On the Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Sts. Adrian and Natalia in the Village of Otegen Batyr

31 May 2025 – Afterfeast of the Ascension of the Lord; Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the church dedicated to the Holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalia in the village of Otegen Batyr, a suburb of Almaty, which serves as a metochion of the Diocese of Chimkent and Turkestan.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Diocese of Astana; Bishop Khrisanf of Chimkent and Turkestan; Protopriest Valery Zakharov – Dean of the Churches of Almaty and Rector of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas; Protopriest Yevgeny Vorobyov – Rector of the Almaty Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”; Protopriest Georgy Kharlov – Rector of the Church of St. John the Forerunner in the village of Guldala; Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky) – Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat; Priest Georgy Sidorov – Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolis; Hieromonk Kheruvim (Levin); Priest Ioann Konoplev – Sacristan of the Church of Sts. Adrian and Natalia; Priest Vyacheslav Sidorovsky – Cleric of the Church of Sts. Adrian and Natalia in Otegen Batyr; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Protodeacon Roman Golovin – Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Office; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; and Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

The hymns were sung by a mixed choir under the direction of O. Kuznetsova.

During the memorial litany, prayers were offered for Orthodox Christians “who suffered martyrdom for the truth of God and the Church of Christ, who were slain in the time of fierce persecutions by the godless, and who died from hunger, cold, wounds, illnesses, and unbearable labor,” and for all who innocently suffered during the era of political repressions.

The pre-Communion sermon was delivered by Priest Georgy Sidorov.

The Liturgy concluded with the glorification of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord and of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, after which Metropolitan Alexander delivered a homily.

The Head of the Metropolis sprinkled the faithful with holy water.

31 May is the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Political Repression in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan served a memorial litiya, during which he offered prayers for Orthodox Christians “who suffered martyrdom for the truth of God and the Church of Christ, who were slain in the time of fierce persecutions by the godless, and who died from hunger, cold, wounds, illnesses, and unbearable labor,” and for all who innocently suffered during the era of political repressions.

“The period from the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord to the Day of the Most Holy Trinity is dedicated to the remembrance of the expectation of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. Before ascending into Heaven to God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples: ‘Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father… for in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit’ (cf. Acts 1:4–5).

So today, like the apostles, we pray for the renewal within us of the grace of God, which once descended upon the disciples of the Savior on the Day of Pentecost and continues to be abundantly poured out upon believers in Christ through the Church’s sacraments and sacred rites.

In the Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost, the image of the Church of Christ is revealed to us — outside of which salvation is not possible, nor is it possible to become a child of God and heir of His eternal Kingdom.

We remember the words of our Lord, resounding triumphantly and comfortingly in the Gospel: ‘I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’ (Matt. 16:18), and ‘I am with you always, even unto the end of the world’ (Matt. 28:20).

Only by abiding in the Church of Christ, which is His Body (Eph. 1:23), as its faithful and obedient children, do we encounter God, are united to Him in a mysterious way, and thereby receive the fullness of being, the true meaning of life, and the inheritance of eternity.

Between the Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost, a special grace-filled light shines forth in the commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

In honoring the saints who participated in all Seven Ecumenical Councils — the glorious Fathers and Teachers of the Church — we must glorify their memory. And the best praise is fidelity to their legacy: a steadfast and unwavering confession of the Orthodox faith, remaining within the canonical bounds of the Church of Christ, raising our children and grandchildren in the truth of the Gospel, and offering our efforts, according to our strength, toward the spiritual enlightenment of our loved ones.”— From the homily of Metropolitan Alexander.