Patronal Feast in the Oldest Church of Almaty – the Cathedral in Honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

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

With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the Vicar of the Astana Diocese, Bishop Veniamin of Talgar, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the oldest church of the city of Almaty – the Cathedral in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the Malaia Stanitsa, marking its patronal feast.

The Kazan Cathedral preserves two sacred relics: the revered Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of the 17th century, presented to the parish by the confessor of the faith and ascetic of piety of the 20th century, Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), and an exact copy, the «measure and likeness», of the Vatican copy of the wonderworking Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The rite of consecration of the copy from the wonderworking Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was performed by Metropolitan Alexander in the city of Kazan before the ancient icon on 16 October 2021.

His Grace was concelebrated by: Dean of the parishes of the Southern Capital and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Keykeeper of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya; Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin) and Hieromonk Isaac (Istelyuev); Keykeeper of the Kazan Cathedral of Almaty, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Hierodeacon Athanasius (Kozel); Deacon Konstantin Volnyagin; Deacon Daniil Pasyuk.

Praying at the Divine Service were: Secretary of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, Choir Conductor of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing O.N. Ovchinnikov; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; parishioners of the churches of the Southern Capital.

The guest of the feast was the President of the public foundation «Eleos-Meirim» V.M. Kapsamun.

The hymns of the Divine Liturgy were performed by the men’s choir of the Almaty Diocese under the direction of Deacon Alexander Piven and by the choir of the Kazan Cathedral under the direction of M.S. Chistyakova.

The sermon after the Communion verse was delivered by Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the rite of glorification was performed before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

A Many Years was proclaimed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Rus’, to the Head and episcopate of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan, to the President of the country K.-Zh.K. Tokayev, and to the authorities, armed forces, and peoples of Kazakhstan and Russia.

Upon completion of the service, Bishop Veniamin warmly congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the patronal feast and delivered an address on the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos.