Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Sunday Divine Liturgy at the Representation Church of the Metropolitan District in Moscow

30 November 2025 – the 25th Sunday after Pentecost, the commemoration day of Venerable Nikon, Abbot of Radonezh.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church dedicated to the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia at the Patriarchal Metochion in Moscow – the Representation of the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: the Vice-Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Candidate of Theology, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Igumen Agafangel (Gagua); the Sacristan of the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia Hieromonk Antony (Drobyazko); the clergy of the Metochion.

Praying at the service were: the Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation, Choir Director of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing O. N. Ovchinnikov; staff of the Representation and parishioners of the church.

The hymns were sung by the church choir under the direction of Anna Rozhnova.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the clergy and the faithful on the Sunday that marks the beginning of the Nativity Fast, and addressed the worshippers with words of instruction.

“By the mercy of God, the salvific period of the Nativity Fast opens before us once again, a special time of preparation for the feast of peace and God’s love for humankind – the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

It is impossible to fully experience the joy of this sacred event, and even more so impossible to touch the great mystery of godliness, the mystery of the Incarnation (cf. 1 Tim. 3:16), without the proper purification of the heart from passions, without freeing the mind from vain thoughts, without correcting our life according to the commandments of the Gospel. True fasting, which includes the labour of abstinence, fervent prayer and works of mercy, enlightens the eyes of our soul and restores our ability to feel and perceive divine grace, for Christ Himself said: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God’ (Matt. 5:8).

The days of the Nativity Fast have a special character – in them sorrow over our deep imperfection and sighing to the Lord for the forgiveness of sins are joined with the joy of the awaited meeting with the incarnate God, who shall save His people from their sins (cf. Matt. 1:21). It is no coincidence that, according to the liturgical order, the Nativity Fast brings to the all-night vigils the triumphant exhortation: ‘Christ is born – glorify Him! Christ comes from Heaven – meet Him!’

In these holy days, we shall prayerfully reflect on the great benefactions accomplished through the coming into the world of Christ the Giver of Life. Scripture testifies: ‘He took upon Himself our infirmities and bore our diseases’ (Isa. 53:4), ‘He died for us while we were yet sinners’ (Rom. 5:8) ‘and gave us eternal life’ (1 John 5:11).

For every person, gratitude should be a natural quality of the soul, and each of us, moved by this noble feeling, asks himself with the Psalmist David: ‘What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?’ (Ps. 115:3). God needs nothing; the universe and everything within it (cf. Ps. 49:12) belongs to Him. Yet through the ancient prophet He addresses each of us: ‘My son, give Me your heart’ (Prov. 23:26).

The Lord opens before us the gates of the blessed eternal Kingdom and asks for nothing in return except love and sincere repentance for sins. Each of us must carefully examine our own life and ask: How can I offer my heart to God? In what can I show my love for the Saviour? How can I cast away from myself everything that separates me from Christ?’

From the instruction of Metropolitan Alexander at the beginning of the Nativity Fast.