Spiritual Celebrations Marking the 15th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Karaganda Diocese. Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity–St. Sebastian Cathedral of Karaganda.

23 November 2025 – the 24th Sunday after Pentecost; commemoration of the Holy Apostles of the Seventy: Erastus, Olympas, Rodion, Sosipater, Quartus and Tertius.

In the city of Karaganda, a significant date in the history of Orthodoxy in the Miner’s Region was prayerfully observed – the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Karaganda Diocese of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity–St. Sebastian Cathedral of the Miner’s Capital.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Archbishop Sebastian of Karaganda and Shakhtinsk, Archbishop Amphilochius of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk, Archbishop Varsonofy of Kokschetau and Akmola, Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan (Vicar of the Astana Diocese), Bishop Hrisanf of Chimkent and Turkestan, Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and Atyrau.

Also among the concelebrants were: Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyev, rector of the Almaty Church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”; Hieromonk Moses (Patrikeev), Head of the Department for Public Relations of the Karaganda Diocese; Archpriest Vladimir Freigang, Dean of the Abai Church District; Archpriest Dimitry Patrikeev, Secretary of the Karaganda Diocesan Administration; Archpriest Sergy Kaliev, Sacristan of the Konstantin-Elena Cathedral of Astana; Hieromonk Siluan (Sinegubov), cleric of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Astana; Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Metropolitan District; Priest Ioann Konoplev, Sacristan of the Adriano-Natalievsky Church of Almaty; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; clergy of the Karaganda Diocese; clergy who arrived together with the guest hierarchs.

The liturgical hymns were sung by the Hierarchical Choir of the Karaganda Diocese conducted by V. Teslenko.

Praying at the Liturgy were: Archimandrite Peter (Goroshko), spiritual child and disciple of St. Sebastian of Karaganda and spiritual father of the Bogoroditse-Rozhdestvensky Women’s Monastery; Abbess Olympiada (Salopeko) of the Bogoroditse-Rozhdestvensky Monastery with the sisters of the community; staff of the Karaganda Diocesan Administration; students of parish Sunday schools.

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

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the clergy, choir and faithful proclaimed the Polychronion for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia; for the Head, the episcopate, clergy and flock of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; for the President, the authorities, the armed forces and all the people of Kazakhstan.

Metropolitan Alexander warmly congratulated the participants of the service on the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Karaganda Diocese and delivered an instructive homily.

Words of congratulations were addressed by the Metropolitan to Archbishop Sebastian, who prayerfully celebrated his birthday on this day. The Head of the Metropolitan District wished the ruling hierarch health and the help of God in his archpastoral labors for the benefit of the Church of Christ on the land of Karaganda.

In his response, Archbishop Sebastian thanked the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan for the congratulations and asked all the participants of the service for fervent prayers for the bestowal of God’s help in his further ministry.

Afterwards, the hierarchs, clergy and faithful proceeded to the monument of the holy elder of Karaganda – St. Sebastian – erected on the cathedral square, where they laid flowers at his monument.

From the Homily of Metropolitan Alexander

“Today we commemorate a significant date – the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Karaganda and Shakhtinsk Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan. Fifteen years is a short period in terms of history, yet for Orthodoxy on the land of Karaganda, in the Miner’s Region, these years have become a meaningful period in the development of church life. A commemorative date is a good occasion once again to look attentively at the glorious and tragic pages of our ecclesiastical history. ‘Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations’ (Deut. 32:7), the Lord says to us, wishing that we draw important lessons from the past, find answers to the questions that trouble us and not turn into ‘Ivans who do not remember their kin’.

The land of Karaganda has long been renowned for its traditions of faith and piety brought here by courageous and hardworking people.

After the October upheaval, the region was engulfed by waves of civil strife, famine and epidemics, and for the Orthodox Church the era of fiery trials began – executions of clergy and active laypeople, mass destruction of churches and sacred objects. In the 1930s–1950s Kazakhstan hosted one of the most terrifying divisions of the GULAG – Karlag, the Karaganda Correctional Labor Camp. Among its prisoners were many Orthodox hierarchs, priests, monks and laypeople who accepted martyrdom for Christ.

For seven years the venerable confessor Schema-Archimandrite Sebastian (Fomin), “servant of the Holy Trinity”, the last Optina elder and heavenly patron of the Kazakh land, spent time in these camps. After his release in April 1939, the venerable elder was permitted to return to any region of Russia where his spiritual children awaited him, but unexpectedly said: ‘We will live here. Life here is different, and the people are different. People here are heartfelt and conscious, who have tasted much sorrow. We will bring more benefit here; this is our second homeland. I am staying!’ These words contain the testament of St. Sebastian to all who live on the land of Kazakhstan – to be guardians of the holy places connected with the memory of the new martyrs and to continue strengthening Orthodoxy here.

‘When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous is an everlasting foundation’ (Prov. 10:25), testifies Holy Scripture. The blood of martyrs, the fervent prayers of hierarchs, the sufferings of confessors, the labors of pastors and laypeople became the solid foundation on which the Church of Christ revived after the era of godless persecution.

The history of the newly established Karaganda Diocese is inseparable from the name of Archbishop Sebastian of Karaganda and Shakhtinsk. At the time of his appointment to this see, he already possessed significant pastoral experience. With great zeal he directed his talents and experience toward developing various aspects of diocesan life.

Today the Karaganda Diocese occupies an important place in the life of the entire Metropolitan District as a known spiritual and pilgrimage center. Through the labors of Archbishop Sebastian, clergy, monastics and active laypeople, the people of Kazakhstan continue to discover the beauty of the Orthodox faith and to find the joy of encountering God – which no one can take away (John 16:22).

As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Karaganda Diocese and contemplate the historical path of Orthodoxy on the ancient land of Sary-Arka, we must understand that before all of us – clergy and laity, under the guidance of the hierarchs – stand the lofty and responsible tasks of laboring without laziness and bearing witness to the Divine Love toward those near and far, remembering that God ‘desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth’ (1 Tim. 2:4).”