Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Sunday Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty

December 14, 2025 – the 27th Sunday after Pentecost; the feast day of the Holy Prophet Nahum and the Righteous Philaret the Merciful.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral of the city of Almaty.

Concelebrating with His High Eminence were: Dean of the churches of Almaty, Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Almaty Church dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov; Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; Sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral, Head of the Department for Relations with the Public of the Metropolitan District Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; Dean of the Ili Church District Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov; Archpriest Dimitry Sidorov; Head of the Metropolitan’s personal secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); Head of the extramural department of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary Priest Daniil Bobylev; Sacristan of the Kazan Cathedral of Almaty Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Protodacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service Protodacon Roman Golovin; clergy of the principal church of Almaty.

The liturgical chants were performed by the choir of the Metropolitan District (Regent – Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov, Choirmaster – V. Dudareva) and the choir of the Ascension Cathedral (Regent – E. Boguslavets).

The sermon after the Communion hymn was delivered by Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Metropolitan Alexander warmly thanked the clergy, monastics and laity for the joy of common prayer and addressed those present with words of pastoral instruction.