Head of the Metropolitan District Celebrates the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in the Akzhar Neighborhood

15 November 2025 – the feast in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God known as the “Shuya–Smolensk” Icon.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Akzhar neighborhood of Almaty.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: the dean of the parishes of Almaty and rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; the rector of the Almaty Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyev, the rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in the Akzhar neighborhood Hieromonk Alexiy (Cherevtsov), the head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District Priest Georgy Sidorov; the head of the Metropolitan’s protocol service Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Vladimir Alferov.

The hymns of the Liturgy were sung by the male choir of the Almaty Diocese under the direction of Deacon Alexander Pivny.

The homily after the Communion verse was delivered by Priest Georgy Sidorov.

At the conclusion of the service, the Head of the Metropolitan District addressed the faithful with a sermon.

His Eminence sprinkled the worshippers with holy water.