In the Seraphim–Theognost Men’s Hermitage, spiritual celebrations were held on the occasion of the commemoration of the Holy Hieromartyrs Seraphim and Theognost of Alma-Ata

August 11, 2025 – the day of commemoration of the heavenly patrons of Kazakhstan – the Holy Hieromartyrs Seraphim and Theognost of Alma-Ata.

In the Seraphim–Theognost Men’s Hermitage in the Aksai Gorge – the place of the monastic labors and martyrdom of the holy hieromonks – spiritual celebrations were held.

The early Divine Liturgy was celebrated, with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, by Bishop Veniamin of Talgar, Vicar of the Astana Diocese.

The late Liturgy was headed by Bishop Ignaty of Aktobe and Kyzylorda, who was in Alma-Ata at the invitation of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

Serving together with His Grace Ignaty were: the Superior of the Seraphim–Theognost Monastery, Igumen Tryphon (Pechkovsky); cleric of the Ascension Cathedral of the Southern Capital and Spiritual Father of the Alma-Ata Diocese, Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov); Rector of the Church of St John the Baptist in the settlement of Guldala, Protopriest Georgy Kharlov; Rector of the Church of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in the settlement of Boraldai, Igumen Philaret (Petrochenko); Head of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Karaganda Diocese, Protopriest Akhiya Rakhimzhanov; Chairman of the Youth Affairs Commission of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Chairman of the Synodal Youth Department of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, Priest Dmitry Bovkunovich; rectors and clergy of the parishes of the Alma-Ata Diocese; clergy of the Kazakhstan and Central Asian Metropolitan Districts.

The diaconal ranks were headed by Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky.

The liturgical singing was performed by the men’s choir of the Alma-Ata Diocese under the direction of Deacon Alexander Piven.

For the patronal feast of the monastery, despite the difficulty of climbing to the skete located in the mountains of the Trans-Ili Alatau at an altitude of 1,850 meters above sea level, a large number of pilgrims gathered.

Praying at the service were: participants of the 10th Congress of Orthodox Youth of Kazakhstan, staff of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration, faithful from the dioceses of Kazakhstan, as well as pilgrims from Russia, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

At the memorial litany, special prayers were offered for the repose of the Kazakhstan hierarchs and clergy who had fallen asleep, and for all those “innocently tortured and killed during the years of godless persecution, and who died from hunger, cold, wounds, disease, and hard labor”; Orthodox Christians innocently murdered in the Aksai Gorge in 2012 were also remembered.

The homily after the Communion verse was delivered by the Dean of the Zharkent Church District, Priest Dimitry Kaplin.

More than 250 people partook of the life-giving Mysteries of Christ.

At the conclusion of the service, the glorification of the Holy Hieromartyrs Seraphim and Theognost took place.

Bishop Ignaty congratulated the faithful on the day of commemoration of the Aksai Righteous – the protectors of the land of Kazakhstan – and addressed those gathered with a sermon about their life and martyrdom.