The Ministry of the Auxiliary Bishops of the Astana Diocese on the Feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple

On December 4, 2025, with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the auxiliary bishops of the Astana Diocese celebrated the services of the Feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple in the churches of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.

The Chancellor of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, presided at the Divine Liturgy in the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty.

Concelebrating with the hierarch were: the spiritual father of the Almaty Diocese Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov), Archpriest Alexander Ievlev, the head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Deacon Andrey Pleten, Hierodeacon Sofonia (Mazurenko), Deacon Ioann Zhuchkov, Deacon Georgy Tkachenko, and Deacon Daniil Pasyuk.

The choir of the Ascension Cathedral sang under the direction of E. Boguslavets.

The Liturgy concluded with a festal glorification: the choir and clergy chanted the troparion and kontakion of the Feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple.

At the end of the service, Bishop Gennady thanked the clergy and parishioners for their common prayer and addressed those present with words of edification.

Auxiliary Bishop Veniamin of Talgar celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Constantine and Helen Cathedral in the city of Kostanay.

Concelebrating with His Grace were: the secretary of the Kostanay Diocese Hieromonk Gennady (Burdiuja), the sacristan of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral Archpriest Vasily Korolev, cleric of the diocesan cathedral Igumen Innokenty (Pomogalov), the spiritual father of the Kostanay Diocese Archpriest Andrey Korchazhnikov, dean of the Sarykol church district Archpriest Vitaly Kleba, Deacon Eleazar Aitbakin, and Deacon Tarasy Takenov.

The choir of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Kostanay sang under the direction of T. Zhebrak.

After the dismissal of the Liturgy, the glorification of the Feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple took place.

At the conclusion of the service, Bishop Veniamin congratulated the faithful on the Great Feasts and delivered a sermon.