On Sunday, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Assumption Cathedral in Astana

December 21, 2025 – the 28th Sunday after Pentecost; the commemoration day of Venerable Patapios of Thebes.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Sunday Divine Liturgy at the Assumption Cathedral.

Concelebrating with the archpastor were: the dean of the Astana Church District, Archimandrite Sergius (Karamyshev); the cathedral dean, Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek); the dean of the Constantine and Helen Cathedral, Archpriest Sergius Kaliev; a cleric of the Church of St Seraphim of Sarov in Astana, Hieromonk Siluan (Sinegubov); the head of the Orthodox youth movement of the Astana deanery, Priest Gregory Kulikov; the head of the Metropolitan’s personal secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); Priest Sergius Dianov; and the deaconry.

For the service, a reliquary containing a particle of the relics of St Nicholas the Wonderworker was brought to the principal church of Kazakhstan.

At the Liturgy prayed: staff of the Astana Diocesan Administration, activists of the Astana Orthodox youth movement, and teachers and pupils of the Sunday school.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Assumption Cathedral under the direction of O. Varentsova.

The sermon after the Communion verse was delivered by Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek).

Following the glorification of St Nicholas the Wonderworker before the reliquary with his holy relics, the Head of the Metropolitan District addressed the faithful with words of edification.

Metropolitan Alexander then sprinkled the worshippers with holy water.