On Sunday marked by the commemoration of the Great Martyr Catherine, the Head of the Metropolia celebrated the Liturgy at the Representation of the Metropolia in Moscow

On 7 December 2025 – the 26th Sunday after Pentecost, the afterfeast of the Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple and the commemoration of Saint Catherine of Alexandria – Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church dedicated to the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia at the Patriarchal Metochion in Moscow – the Representation of the Metropolia of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: the Vice Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Candidate of Theology, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Hegumen Agafangel (Gagua); the sacristan of the church dedicated to the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia, Hieromonk Antony (Drobyazko); the clergy of the Metochion; the deaconal rank was led by Protodeacon Sergiy Kulikov.

Praying at the service were: the Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation, Choir Director of the Metropolia of Kazakhstan and member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Church Singing O.N. Ovchinnikov; Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation N.V. Parshikova; Acting General Director of Sofrino V.A. Levin; Head of the art workshop Apostle I.S. Kharkov; the staff of the Representation; and parishioners of the church.

The choir of the church under the direction of Anna Rozhnova sang.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the glorification of the feast of the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple and of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr took place.

The Head of the Metropolia congratulated the faithful on the Sunday – the Lesser Pascha – and addressed the congregation with words on the significance of the martyr’s witness. He then congratulated those celebrating their name day and imparted his archpastoral blessing to the parishioners.

At the end of the service, His Eminence awarded N.V. Levin with the Medal of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia.