On the Feast Day of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, the Head of the Metropolitan District Celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Matrona Church in Almaty

October 9, 2025 – the commemoration day of the repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, and the feast day of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow at the Iveron-Seraphim Convent in the city of Almaty.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: the Dean of the parishes of Almaty and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Valery Zakharov; the Rector of the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Uralsk, Archimandrite Feodosiy (Kuryanov); the Vice-Rector for Educational Work of the Almaty Seminary, Priest Ioann Livinsky; the Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); the Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Priest Petr Bakhtiyarov; the Head of the Seminary Office, Priest Alexander Shishlov; Deacon Bogdan Boyko, Deacon Roman Karaman, and Deacon Ilya Vorobyev.

Praying during the service were: Abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina), Superior of the Iveron-Seraphim Convent, together with the sisters of the convent, staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration, members of the faculty and students of the Almaty Theological Seminary.

The choir of the Sophia Cathedral of the convent sang under the direction of O. Usoltseva.

The sermon after the Communion verse was delivered by Priest Ioann Livinsky.

The Liturgy concluded with the glorification of the Evangelist John the Theologian and Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia.

At the end of the service, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the clergy and faithful on the feast day of the revered saints and addressed the congregation with a pastoral word.