The Head of the Metropolia Offered a Litiya at the Burial Place of the Ever-Memorable Archbishop Eleftheriy (Kozorez)

20 November 2025. Shymkent. Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, who is on an archpastoral visit to the Chimkent diocese, served a litiya for the ever-memorable Archbishop Eleftheriy (Kozorez), buried at the altar of St Nicholas Cathedral.

Praying at the memorial service were: Bishop Khrisanf of Chimkent and Turkestan, Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan (vicar of the Astana diocese), Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyev, rector of the Almaty church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, Archimandrite Antony (Solovyov), dean of the South Kazakhstan church district, clergy of the Chimkent and Almaty dioceses, the spiritual children of the reposed archpastor, and parishioners of the city’s churches.

The choir of St Nicholas Cathedral sang under the direction of E. V. Aleshina.

At the conclusion of the litiya, the clergy and faithful intoned “Memory eternal”. Flowers were laid at the burial site.

Metropolitan Alexander addressed those present with a message in which he gratefully recalled the labors of the ever-memorable hierarch.

“More than thirty years the reposed hierarch bore the cross of apostolic ministry in the Church of Christ, performing various labors with love and zeal, ‘proclaiming the mystery of the Gospel’ (Eph. 6:19), and showing active care for the growth in the faith of Christ of the flock entrusted to his pastoral responsibility. He became both a witness and an active participant in the rebirth and development of church life on the blessed land of Kazakhstan after the fall of the icy shackles of atheism. In those distant years, the newly-consecrated archpastor directed all his talents and strength, his energy and knowledge, toward the establishment of church life in South and North Kazakhstan and in the central regions of the country. The bishop restored desecrated shrines, opened new parishes, initiated the development of charitable, educational, and youth ministry, and conducted dialogue with representatives of governmental authorities and leaders of the traditional confessions. Through his labors he prepared these regions for the creation of new dioceses of the Metropolia: Kostanay, Petropavlovsk, Kokshetau and Karaganda. Always, according to the word of the Apostle, Archbishop Eleftheriy strove to be ‘an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity’ (1 Tim. 4:12). In our memory the late hierarch will remain a humble, sensitive and kind man who sought to support everyone who turned to him for help and consolation.”

From the message of Metropolitan Alexander in memory of Archbishop Eleftheriy.