On Sunday, commemorating the Prophet Ezekiel, the Head of the Metropolitan District celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral in Astana

August 3, 2025 – the feast day of the uncovering of the relics of Holy Right-Believing Princess Anna of Kashin and the commemoration of the Prophet of God Ezekiel.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral in Astana.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Archbishop Sebastian of Karaganda and Shakhtinsk; Archbishop Amphilochius of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk; the dean of the Astana church district, Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev); the rector of the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” Protopriest Yevgeny Vorobyov; the sacristan of the Dormition Cathedral, Hieromonk Dimitry (Baydek); cleric of the Church of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov in Astana, Hieromonk Silouan (Sinegubov); the head of the Orthodox Youth Movement of the Astana deanery, Priest Grigory Kulikov; Priest Sergy Dianov; the head of the Metropolitan’s protocol service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Deacon Ilya Davydov; Deacon Mikhail Chumakov; Deacon Alexander Piven; Deacon Georgy Tkachenko; and Deacon Yaroslav Vokhmensev.

Among those praying at the Liturgy were staff of the Astana diocesan administration, activists of the Astana Orthodox Youth Movement, and teachers and students of the central Sunday school.

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

At the conclusion of the service, the Head of the Metropolitan District addressed the faithful with a word of instruction.

Metropolitan Alexander sprinkled the faithful with holy water.

Following the service, the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan presented the Metropolitan District’s medal “Yntaly Qyzmet Ushin” (For Diligent Service) to the reader of the Dormition Cathedral, O.A. Biryulina, wishing her strength of soul and body and the grace-filled help of the Lord in her service to the Holy Church.

“We know that eternal life is attained through love for God and love for one’s neighbor, yet the Lord Himself has revealed to us another great truth: divine nourishment – the holy, life-giving Mysteries of Christ, the most pure Body and Blood of our Savior – leads a person into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Participation in the Mystery of Communion is a source of virtue and a powerful means of liberation from sin.

The Lord Jesus Christ warns us: ‘Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you’ (John 6:53).

One cannot, from the outside, perceive the grace-filled gifts, consolation, and help from the Lord that are granted to the believer through proper observance of fasting, frequent attendance at church, and participation in the Sacraments.

Personal spiritual experience cannot be replaced by any efforts of the intellect, exertion of will, or sensitivity of emotion, for ‘eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him’ (1 Cor. 2:9).

‘Taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Ps. 34:8) – with these words of the Psalmist David, the Church of Christ calls us to partake of true, genuine spiritual life.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.