Divine Liturgy Held at the Sophia Cathedral in Almaty on the Day of All Russian Saints with the Participation of the Leadership, Faculty, and Students of the Almaty Theological Seminary

On June 22, 2025 – the second Sunday after Pentecost, the feast of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land – with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Astana Diocese, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Sophia Cathedral of the Iveron-Seraphim Convent in the city of Almaty.

The festive Liturgy preceded the commencement ceremony of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary.

Concelebrating with His Grace were: Protopriest Evgeny Ivanov, Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolis; Priest Ioann Livinsky, Vice-Rector for Educational Work; Priest Petr Bakhtiyarov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs; Priest Evgeny Bessonov, Inspector of the Seminary; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolis; Priest Oleg Lisin, Candidate of Theology and Head of the Biblical and Theological Department; Priest Kirill Konoplev, Deputy Head of the Information Department of the Metropolis and Secretary of the Biblical and Theological Department; Priest Alexander Shishlov, Head of the Seminary Office – as well as seminary faculty and graduates in holy orders.

Praying at the service were: Abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina) of the Iveron-Seraphim Convent of the Southern Capital with sisters of the monastery; A.P. Solovyov, Vice-Rector for Research, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; faculty and students of the Almaty Theological Seminary.

Singing at the service were the choir of the Sophia Cathedral under the direction of O. Usoltseva and the mixed choir of the Almaty Seminary under the direction of V. Dudareva.

Thanksgiving prayers were offered for the graduates of the seminary.

June 22 is a Day of Remembrance and Sorrow – the anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Special memorial petitions were offered during the service “for the commanders and soldiers who laid down their lives on the battlefield, who perished from wounds and hunger, who were innocently tortured and slain in captivity and hard labor, and for all who labored for the sake of Victory and all who perished in the years of war.”

Also commemorated were the ever-memorable hierarchs of Kazakhstan: the Apostle of the Great Steppe, the first archpastor of the Turkestan Diocese – Archbishop Sophonius (Sokolsky, †1877) and Bishop Nikon (Bogoyavlensky, †1897), who are buried on the territory of the Iveron-Seraphim Monastery; and the righteous ascetic Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov, †1975), whose tomb is located in the Sophia Cathedral. Also remembered were former rectors, teachers, and students of the Almaty Seminary.

The sermon after the Communion verse was delivered by Priest Georgy Sidorov.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a hymn of praise was sung to All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land.

Many years was proclaimed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, to the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, to the bishops of the Metropolis, to the rectors, teachers, and students of the Almaty Theological Seminary, to the abbess and sisters of the monastery, and to the President, authorities, armed forces, and all the people of Kazakhstan.

At the end of the service, His Grace congratulated the clergy, monastics, and laity on the Sunday and the joyful commemoration of the deeds and labors of all Russian saints. He offered words of blessing to the administration, faculty, graduates, and students of the seminary.

Video recording of the service was carried out by the television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolis “Semirechye” (Director – Honored Worker of Culture V.L. Posadneva, Cameraman – A. Schmidt), and staff of the YouTube channel “Proobraz” with the support of the public foundation “ELEOS-MEIRIM” (Director – V.M. Kapsamun); photography – A. Shcheglov.