Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Representation Church of the Metropolis in Moscow

On 4 November 2025 – the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church dedicated to the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Their Mother Sophia at the Patriarchal Metochion in the city of Moscow – the Representation of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan.

His Eminence was concelebrated by: Hieromonk Agafangel (Gagua), Vice-Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Candidate of Theology, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor; Hieromonk Antony (Drobyazko), Sacristan of the church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Their Mother Sophia; clergy of the Metochion; the deacon’s rank was headed by Protodeacon Sergey Kulikov.

The choir of the church sang under the direction of Anna Rozhnova.

Praying at the service were: N.V. Parshikova, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation; M.N. Belogubova, Secretary of the Working Group under the President of the Russian Federation on the restoration of cultural heritage sites of religious significance, Special Representative of the Governor of Saint Petersburg; staff of the Representation and parishioners of the church.

During the Liturgy prayers were offered for the repose of the spiritual father of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan – the ever-memorable Archbishop Meliton of Tikhvin (Solovyov), who reposed in the Lord on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in 1986.

The sermon after the Communion verse was delivered by Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev).

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the glorification of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos took place, after which His Eminence warmly congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the feast and addressed those gathered with words on the veneration of the Mother of God.

«Of the many icons of the Most Holy Theotokos known in the Russian Orthodox Church, none is venerated in such number as the Kazan icon. Throughout the world it is held in sacred honor, millions of believers turn their gaze to it. Human life is filled with sorrows, grief and trials, yet for Christian hearts there is always an inexhaustible source of consolation – when we find ourselves in distress, facing difficulties or danger, we always come with faith and hope to the prayerful intercession of the Most Pure Mother of God. In response to our petitions and sighs, to the longing of our hearts, She warms our cold hearts with Her maternal love, delivers from troubles and temptations, and directs us toward the eternal Heavenly Kingdom. ‘The Virgin Mary in every way hears us. For in the place of light, in the land of the living dwells the Mother of Salvation’, – teaches Saint John Chrysostom.

Yet it is important to remember that all blessings received by us from the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos are accomplished by God and by His Grace, invisibly granted to us through the prayers of the Queen of Heaven by means of the icon. The granting of our petitions, the fulfillment of our desires and hopes is possible only when there is sincere faith in God and trust in His mercy in our hearts. The Holy Apostle Paul teaches us: ‘Without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him’ (Heb. 11:6).

Prayer cannot be successful without the purification of the soul, without repentance and amendment of life. In the words of the great teacher of the Church, Saint Gregory the Theologian, ‘as a cloud covers the radiance of the sun’s rays, so the sinner who does not wish to acknowledge his sins and renounce them covers for himself the rays of God’s love and the mercy of the Mother of God’.

Therefore, venerating the glorified Countenance of the Queen of Heaven, let us with particular zeal ask the Lord for the forgiveness of our sins, the overcoming of weaknesses, and victory over the passions. Let the chief theme of our petitions and prayers be the acquisition of a virtuous Christian life, of which the Mother of God Herself is the bright example for us. In the words of Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer, the Ever-Virgin ‘in persecutions and sorrows was always joyful, in needs and poverty was not saddened, toward those who offended Her was not angered, but even bestowed good upon them; She was meek in prosperity, merciful to the poor and helped them as She could, and was an instructress in piety and in every good work’. May the mercy of the Most Holy Sovereign Lady Theotokos abide with all of us.»

From the homily of Metropolitan Alexander.