Funeral Service for Archpriest Georgy Chistyakov, Rector of the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, Held in Almaty

12 November 2025. Almaty. Following the Divine Liturgy at the Kazan Cathedral, the funeral service for the newly departed rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, Archpriest Georgy Chistyakov, who reposed the previous day, was celebrated.

The funeral service was led by the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

On the eve of the burial, a farewell vigil for Father Georgy was held at the Kazan Cathedral, during which the Holy Gospel was read over the body of the departed priest.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolis were: the vicars of the Astana Diocese – Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, and Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Dean of the Almaty City Deanery and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Almaty Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” Mitred Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov; Spiritual Father of the Almaty Diocese Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov); and rectors and clergy of the churches of Almaty.

The men’s choir of the Almaty Diocese, under the direction of Deacon Alexander Pivny, sang during the service.

Among those praying in the cathedral were: Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, and Choir Director of the Kazakhstan Metropolis, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing O. N. Ovchinnikov; Abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina) of the Iveron–Seraphim Convent with the sisters of the monastery; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; parishioners of Almaty churches; as well as relatives, friends, and spiritual children of the reposed pastor.

Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Metropolitan District, read the letter of condolence from Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

Before the funeral service began, the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan addressed the faithful with a word about the late priest:

“Today we bid farewell to the newly departed rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries and Wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian, Archpriest Georgy Chistyakov. Sorrow fills the hearts of all who knew, respected, and loved the departed pastor – a faithful laborer in Christ’s vineyard, an example of service to God and neighbor, a humble and virtuous man.

The works of the late Father Georgy encompass more than three decades of ministry at the altar of the Lord. The newly departed clergyman was distinguished by kindness and hospitality, and by his ability to find common ground with all people.

In the final years of his earthly life, he bore a painful illness with patience and hope in God’s mercy. Now he is born into eternity. The Lord, in His mercy, granted His servant to partake of the Life-Giving Mysteries shortly before the end of his earthly journey – ‘for the remission of sins and for life everlasting.’

Let us fervently pray to our reigning Savior for the repose of the newly departed pastor in the heavenly dwellings – where there is no sickness, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but life everlasting,” said His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexander.

After the Great Doxology, His Eminence read the Prayer of Absolution. As the hymn “Come, let us give the last kiss, brethren, to the departed…” was sung, hierarchs, clergy, and laity bid farewell to the reposed pastor.

The funeral concluded with the proclamation of “Eternal Memory.”

The coffin containing the body of Archpriest Georgy was carried in procession around the Kazan Cathedral to the singing of the irmos “The Lord is my Helper and Protector…” Before the burial, a final memorial litia was offered for the newly departed priest.

Eternal Memory to Archpriest Georgy Chistyakov!