On the First Saturday of the Nativity Fast, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Kazan Church of the Southern Capital

29 November 2025 – the commemoration day of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the oldest church of Almaty – the Cathedral in honour of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Astana Diocese; Bishop Khrisanf of Chimkent and Turkestan; Dean of the churches of Almaty, Rector of St Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Almaty church in honour of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyev; Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District Priest Georgy Sidorov; Sacristan of the Kazan Cathedral Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Sacristan of the Adriano–Natalievsky Church Priest Ioann Konoplev; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Konstantin Volnyagin; Deacon Rustik Yakupov; Deacon Daniil Pasyuk.

The hymns were performed by the men’s choir of the Almaty Diocese under the direction of Deacon Alexander Pivny and by the choir of the Kazan Church directed by L. P. Eliseeva.

After the communion verse, Priest Georgy Sidorov read aloud the address of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan before the beginning of the Nativity Fast.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the Head of the Metropolitan District congratulated the hierarchs, clergy and parishioners on the beginning of the bright days of the Nativity Fast and addressed the faithful with words of instruction.

“The Nativity Fast has a special character – in it the labours of abstinence and prayer are illumined by the joy of the approaching radiant feast and by a deep sense of gratitude to the Saviour, ‘Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven’. What can we offer to the Lord as a gift? Venerable Simeon the New Theologian answers this question with utmost brevity and depth: ‘God needs nothing from us except our salvation.’ Our gift to Christ, born in the cave, will be our sincere striving toward God, our efforts and labours on the path to the Heavenly Kingdom, our desire for union with our Saviour in prayer and in the sacraments of the Church.

The Fast is that time when, in the words of the Apostle, ‘the hour has already come for us to awake out of sleep’ (Rom. 13:11). The Church calls us to awaken from sinful forgetfulness, to break free from the whirl of vanity and the weariness of the spirit (see Eccles. 1:14), and to remember the true meaning of life, the purpose of human existence on earth, to remember that ‘our citizenship is in Heaven’ (Phil. 3:20).

The Fast is that time when, overcoming egoism and self-reliance, we once again place the Lord at the center of our life, building the only true system of coordinates of our being. The Fast is the time of our return to the Heavenly Father through repentance and participation in the sacraments of the Church – Confession and Holy Communion.

The ascetic labour of the Fast includes intensified prayer and diligence in attending church. Another of its components will be attentive reading and study of the word of God – Holy Scripture.

There is yet another important aspect necessary in walking the path of the Nativity Fast. The Apostle Paul calls us: ‘Put on… compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience… But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection’ (Col. 3:12,14).

Let us hasten in these holy days, as far as possible, to share material means with those in need, to visit the sick and infirm, to encourage the despondent, to warm with a kind word the heart of everyone seeking consolation; let us strive to behold in our neighbours the image of Christ Himself.’

From the homily of Metropolitan Alexander.”