On the Eve of the Nativity of Christ, Metropolitan Alexander Led the Festive Service at the Ascension Cathedral of Almaty

January 6, 2026 – the Eve of the Nativity of Christ, Christmas Eve.

In the liturgical texts of this day, penitential motifs and calls to meet the newly born Savior worthily are gradually replaced by joy and exultation at the manifestation to the human race of the incarnate Lord Himself. Special attention is given to the earthly circumstances of this Gospel event: the time and place of the Nativity of Christ are recalled, and all its participants are mentioned – the Most Holy Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed, the angels, the Magi, and the shepherds.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan led the festive service – the Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great in conjunction with Great Vespers – at the Ascension Cathedral of Almaty.

Serving with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: the spiritual father of the Almaty Diocese Archimandrite John (Sazonov); Archpriest Vyacheslav Churbanov; Head of the Metropolitan District Department for Relations with Society and Dean of the Ascension Cathedral Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Metropolitan District Information and Publishing Department Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; 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; Hieromonk Roman (Chistyakov); Protopriest Deacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service Protopriest Deacon Roman Golovin; Protopriest Deacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Andrey Pleten; Deacon Vitaly Bystrushkin; Hierodeacon Sophony (Mazurenko); Deacon Alexander Piven; Deacon John Zhuchkov; Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

The hymns were sung by the Ascension Cathedral choir under the direction of Hegumen Philip (Moiseev).

At Great Vespers, the paroemias were read – Old Testament texts containing prophecies about the coming of Christ into the world and the coming Kingdom of God. The paroemias alternated with troparia and refrains – «With them also have mercy on us» and «O Giver of Life, glory to You», which were sung alternately by the clergy in the altar and by the choir.

At the Liturgy, the epistle reading was from the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews concerning the eternal begetting of the Son of God from the Father (chapter 1, verses 1–12), and the Gospel reading from Luke proclaimed the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ in the cave of Bethlehem and the worship of the Divine Child by the shepherds who received the news of the Savior’s birth from the angelic hosts (chapter 2, verses 1–20).

Another distinctive feature of the Liturgy of St Basil the Great is that, instead of the usual prayer to the Mother of God «It Is Truly Meet», the ancient Theotokion hymn written by St John of Damascus, «In You Rejoices», is sung.

The sermon after Communion was delivered by Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, an adorned candle symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem was brought out from the altar to the center of the church.

Before the festal icon and the lighted candle, a glorification was performed – the troparion and kontakion of the Nativity of Christ were sung by the choir and the clergy.

After the service, the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District congratulated the clergy and the faithful on Christmas Eve – the threshold of the feast of peace and God’s love – and addressed those gathered with a sermon.

Through the labors of the church staff, led by the dean of the cathedral Archpriest Alexander Suvorov, the Ascension Cathedral was decorated for the feast of the Nativity of Christ with live fir trees, which after the days of the Nativity season will be planted in the park zones of the Southern Capital. The beginning of this good tradition was laid several years ago; some of the trees continue to grow in the Park of the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen.

«With today’s special service – the Divine Liturgy and Great Vespers – we begin the celebration of the Nativity of Christ. The good news of the coming into the world of the Creator and Lord now once again fills the world. In the words of the Church’s hymns, “The Heavenly Powers rejoice, and the earth with mankind makes glad”. This Gospel message instills hope in Christian hearts, awakens creative силы, and inspires service to God and to people. The love of God did not reconcile itself to humanity’s captivity to sin and death, but appeared on earth in order to deliver us from evil and to grant the possibility of spiritual rebirth and renewal. In these holy days we confess that not a new prophet or teacher, not a wise ruler or mighty hero was born on earth, but that the Creator of this world Himself was incarnate, as the Church proclaims: “You came from the Virgin, neither intercessor nor Angel, but You Yourself, O Lord, were incarnate and saved me wholly, a man”. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14), affirms the truth of the Incarnation the contemplator of heavenly revelations, the Apostle John the Theologian. Great and priceless gifts did the coming into the world of Christ the Giver of Life bring to humanity – true knowledge of God, the acquisition of the meaning of life, the path to liberation from sin, victory over death, the deification of man by grace, the Heavenly Kingdom and eternal blessedness. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Most Blessed Virgin, and a virtuous life according to the Gospel commandments are for us not only a means of communion with God, but also become our worthy gifts to the newborn Savior instead of the gold, frankincense, and myrrh brought to Him by the Magi. In the days of the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, let us offer special prayers for peace throughout the world and for our native Kazakhstan, that the Lord may always visit this ancient land with His grace and bounties, that God may bless the life and labors of everyone for whom this country is a native home, and that concord and brotherly love may invariably abide across the vastness of the Great Steppe». From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.