Feast Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God – Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates Liturgy in the Oldest Church of the Southern Capital on Its Patronal Feast

July 21, 2025 – Commemoration of the appearance of the wonderworking Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in the city of Kazan, and the celebration in honor of the Abalatsk–Semipalatinsk Icon of the Queen of Heaven “The Sign.”

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the oldest church in the city of Almaty – the Cathedral in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in “Malaya Stanitsa,” which was celebrating its patronal feast.

The Kazan Cathedral houses two revered relics – the venerated 17th-century Kazan icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, gifted to the parish by Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), a confessor of the faith and ascetic of piety of the 20th century, and an exact copy, “in size and likeness,” of the Vatican version of the wonderworking Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The rite of consecration of the copy of the wonderworking icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was performed by Metropolitan Alexander in the city of Kazan before the ancient icon on October 16, 2021.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were the Vicars of the Astana Diocese – Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Chancellor of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan, and Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan; Dean of the parishes of the Southern Capital and Rector of the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, Protopriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Almaty church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” Protopriest Yevgeny Vorobyev; Dean of the Ili Church District, Protopriest Alexander Zyryanov; Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District, Protopriest Yevgeny Ivanov; Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; Hieromonk Kheruvim (Levin); Sacristan of the Kazan Cathedral of Almaty, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Konstantin Volnyagin; and Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

For the spiritual comfort and strengthening of the faithful, an exact copy – “measure for measure” – of the wonderworking Abalatsk Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Sign” was brought to the church. The original is kept in the domestic Iveron–Seraphim Church of the metropolitan residence in Almaty. The icon was painted by artists of the Tobolsk Iconography Workshop; its riza (icon cover) was made by the MDG Jewelry Studio.

Praying at the service were V.M. Kapsamun, Head of the public foundation “ELEOS–MEIRIM”; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; benefactors and parishioners of the cathedral; and Orthodox residents of the city.

The mixed choir sang under the direction of choir director M.S. Chistyakova.

After the Eucharistic Canon, Metropolitan Alexander ordained Reader Daniil Pasyuk, a third-year student of the Almaty Theological Seminary, to the diaconate.

The sermon after the Communion verse was delivered by Protopriest Valery Zakharov.

The Liturgy concluded with glorification before the Kazan and Abalatsk Icons of the Mother of God, followed by a procession of the cross.

Afterwards, a memorial prayer service was served at the necropolis by the altar of the Kazan church.

Metropolitan Alexander warmly congratulated the hierarchs, clergy, and parishioners on the patronal feast of the oldest church in the Southern Capital and gave a homily on the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos.