Commemoration Day of St Nicholas the Wonderworker. Metropolitan Alexander Presided over the Patronal Feast of St Nicholas Cathedral in Almaty

December 19, 2025 – the commemoration day of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia.

The Head of the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St Nicholas Cathedral in Almaty, which marked its patronal feast.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Archbishop Amphilochius of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk; Vicar of the Astana Diocese, Administrator of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen; Dean of the parishes of the Southern Capital, 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 Vorobyev; Head of the Department of Education and Catechesis of the Metropolitan District, Rector of the Church of the Protection of the Mother of God and of the Church of the Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos Archpriest Evgeny Bobylev; Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; Rector of the Church of St Alexander Nevsky Archpriest Ioann Lopatin; Rector of the Epiphany Church Archpriest Valery Shavrin; Key-bearer of the Saints Peter and Paul Church Archpriest Kirill Shklyar; Vice-Rector for Formation of the Almaty Theological Seminary Priest Ioann Livinsky; 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; Key-bearer of the Kazan Cathedral of Almaty Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Head of the Correspondence Department of the Almaty Seminary Priest Daniil Bobylev; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin; city clergy.

Before the beginning of the Liturgy, for veneration and spiritual strengthening of the faithful, a reliquary containing the holy relics of St Nicholas the Wonderworker was brought out from the altar of the cathedral.

Praying at the service were: Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, choir director of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Church Singing O.N. Ovchinnikov; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; benefactors of the cathedral; faculty members and students of the Almaty Theological Seminary; teachers and pupils of the Central Sunday School of the Southern Capital, headed by its director G.V. Cherepanova.

Liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of St Nicholas Cathedral under the direction of O. Berekesheva and the common chant choir under the direction of O. Solomonova.

Numerous faithful gathered to honor the memory of St Nicholas the Wonderworker and venerate his holy relics: parishioners of St Nicholas Cathedral and other churches of the Southern Capital, as well as pilgrims from the Almaty Region.

During the service, prayers were offered for the repose of: Confessor of the Faith Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov, †1975), Archimandrite Isaac (Vinogradov), a companion and spiritual son of Metropolitan Nicholas (Mogilevsky), the builders of the cathedral and those who restored liturgical life there, as well as departed clergy and parishioners.

After the Cherubic Hymn, Metropolitan Alexander performed the priestly ordination of Deacon Vladislav Pashkov, a cleric of St Nicholas Cathedral, Candidate of Theology, Head of the Church-Practical Department of the Almaty Theological Seminary and staff member of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District.

The sermon after Holy Communion was delivered by Priest Ioann Livinsky.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a service of glorification was held before the icon and reliquary with the relics of St Nicholas, after which many years were proclaimed for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’; for the Head, the Most Reverend hierarchs, clergy, monastics and the God-protected Orthodox flock of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; for the President, the authorities, the armed forces and all the people of Kazakhstan; and for those celebrating their name day.

Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the hierarchs, the rector, the clergy, monastics and parishioners on the feast day of St Nicholas the Wonderworker and on the patronal celebration of one of the oldest churches of Almaty, after which he delivered a sermon.

In recognition of his labors for the benefit of the Almaty Seminary and in connection with the 15th anniversary of the founding of the theological school, the Head of the Correspondence Department, Priest Daniil Bobylev, was awarded the Order of Archbishop Sophronius (Sokolsky), the first hierarch of the Turkestan Diocese and Apostle of Semirechye.

The Head of the Metropolitan District congratulated Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, a cleric of the Ascension Cathedral, on his name day, presented him with a holy prosphora and wished him good health, many years of life and God’s help in his service to the Church of Christ.

Pupils of the Central Sunday School performed for the hierarchs, clergy and faithful a literary and poetic composition recounting the life and miracles of St Nicholas.

After this, near the walls of the Sunday school, the unveiling and consecration of the monument to Hieromartyr-Confessor Nicholas (Mogilevsky), Metropolitan of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan, took place.

Metropolitan Alexander awarded the author of the monument and benefactors of St Nicholas Cathedral with medals “Enbek Üshin” (For Labors).

A live broadcast of the festive divine service was streamed on the YouTube channel “Proobraz” with the support of the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim” (President V.M. Kapsamun).

Video recording of the patronal celebration was also carried out by the television studio of the Metropolitan District “Semirechye” (Director – Honored Cultural Worker V.L. Posadneva, cameraman A. Schmidt).

“Today, in the Church calendar, we celebrate a day especially beloved by Christians – we prayerfully and reverently commemorate St Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonderworker. This great Saint of God is loved not only by the Orthodox world. His name is known among many peoples in different countries. He is especially venerated by sailors and travelers – by all who are connected with the dangers of travel. For he has been granted a special grace – to swiftly bring the prayers of those in need to the throne of God. And probably there is not a single person here who has not called upon the name of St Nicholas in his or her life. We often turn to him in sorrows, illnesses, various difficulties and disorders. We turn to him because we know how powerful his hierarchal prayer is before the throne of God’s grace.

We commemorate the feast of St Nicholas in a church named in honor of his glorious name, in a church where a portion of his holy relics rests. Not everyone can make a pilgrimage to the Italian cities of Bari or Venice, where the relics of the Myra hierarch are kept. But we, living in Almaty, have received a great mercy from the Lord, having obtained a particle of the holy relics of this Saint of God in our church. Bowing in prayer, let us speak with him as with one who is alive, that he may help us, that he may strengthen us on the right path – the path of faith, piety and good works. Only this path is truly necessary for the human soul, because it leads to Heaven, to salvation, to eternity. May the intercessions of St Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, preserve our earthly homeland, our Kazakhstan, and all who live here. May the doors of God’s mercy be opened to everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord, who sincerely believes in Christ, and also to those who strive toward the Savior but have not yet found Him, to those who are still taking timid steps toward the knowledge of the true faith.”

From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.