On the Leavetaking of the Feast of the Ascension and the Commemoration Day of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Alexander Nevsky Church in Astana

June 6, 2025 – the Leavetaking of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord; the commemoration of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg; and the celebration of the appearance of the Velikoretsk Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Alexander Nevsky Church of the women’s monastery dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God “Recovery of the Lost” in Astana.

Serving with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Archimandrite Sergiy (Karamyshev), Dean of the Capital’s Parishes; Hieromonk Modest (Drozdov), Spiritual Father of the Monastery; Hieromonk Dimitry (Baydek), Sacristan of the Dormition Cathedral in Astana; Hieromonk Siluan (Sinegubov), Cleric of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Astana; Deacon Ilya Davydov; and Deacon Ioann Yanchuk.

The choir of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral of the capital, directed by N.V. Mazurina, sang during the service.

Praying at the Liturgy were: Abbess Sevastiana (Plotnikova), head of the monastery, along with the sisters of the convent; staff of the diocesan administration; pilgrims; and parishioners of the church.

The sermon after the Communion verse was delivered by Hieromonk Dimitry (Baydek).

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a glorification was performed in honor of the Ascension of the Lord and Blessed Xenia of Petersburg.

The Head of the Metropolitan District congratulated the faithful on the leavetaking of the Ascension and the commemoration of St. Xenia, after which he addressed those present with words of pastoral exhortation.