On the Feast of the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles of Christ, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Main Church of the Southern Capital

July 13, 2025 – the 5th Sunday after Pentecost; the feast of the Synaxis of the Twelve Glorious and All-Praised Apostles of Christ. The Holy Church established the celebration of this feast on the day following the commemoration of the Preeminent Apostles Peter and Paul. References to the observance of this feast are found as early as the fourth century. The pious Emperor Constantine the Great (306–337) built a church in Constantinople dedicated to the Holy Twelve Apostles.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Ascension Cathedral of the city of Almaty.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were the vicars of the Astana diocese: Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Chancellor of the Kazakhstan Metropolis; Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan; and Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Dean of the Almaty churches and rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Protopriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Almaty Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” Protopriest Evgeny Vorobyov; Spiritual Father of the Almaty diocese, Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov); Head of the Metropolis Department for Public Relations and sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral of the southern capital, Protopriest Alexander Suvorov; Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolis, Protopriest Evgeny Ivanov; Rector of the Epiphany Church, Protopriest Valery Shavrin; Dean of the Ili Church District, Protopriest Alexander Zyryanov; Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky); Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolis, Priest Georgy Sidorov; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Vitaly Bystrushkin; Deacon Alexander Piven; Deacon Ioann Zhuchkov; and Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

The reliquary containing relics of the Twelve Apostles of Christ was present in the main church of the southern capital.

The hymns of the Liturgy were performed by the choir of the Ascension Cathedral under the direction of Igumen Philip (Moiseev).

The homily after the Communion verse was delivered by Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen.

Following the dismissal of the Liturgy, a glorification to the Apostles of Christ was performed before the reliquary containing their holy relics. Metropolitan Alexander then expressed gratitude to the concelebrating hierarchs and clergy for the shared joy of the Eucharistic prayer before the Holy Altar, congratulated everyone on the commemoration of the closest disciples of Christ, and addressed those gathered with a pastoral word.

“Let us remember what the Lord said to His disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?’ (Matthew 5:13). These words compel us to reflect on the mission of Orthodox Christians in the modern world. They allow us to affirm that a zealous keeper of God’s commandments always strives to proclaim the Glory of God through his labor, his preaching, and the example of his life. A full life in the Church always implies both a personal ascetical labor of spiritual growth and active service for the good of one’s neighbor.” – From the homily of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.