The Nativity of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ. The Head of the Metropolitan District Celebrated the Festal Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral of the Southern Capital

January 7, 2026 – the Nativity according to the flesh of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

On the night of January 6–7, the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, celebrated the festal Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral of Almaty.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District were: the spiritual father of the Almaty Diocese Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov), head of the Metropolitan District Department for Relations with the Public and key-bearer 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, member of the Patriarchal Commission on Physical Culture and Sports Hegumen Philipp (Moiseev), 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); Protodacon Nikolay Grinkevich, head of the Metropolitan protocol service Protodacon Roman Golovin, Protodacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Vitaly Bystrushkin, Deacon Alexander Piven, Deacon Ioann Zhuchkov, Deacon Georgy Tkachenko, Deacon Daniil Pasyuk.

In the principal church of the Southern Capital there was a shrine – a gift of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem to Orthodox Christians of Kazakhstan for the Nativity celebrations – a mother-of-pearl altar cross consecrated in the Grotto of Bethlehem.

The liturgical hymns were sung by the choir of the Metropolitan District under the direction of Honored Artist of Russia, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Church Singing O.N. Ovchinnikov.

Numerous parishioners gathered in the principal church of the Southern Capital to glorify the feast of the Nativity of Christ.

Guests of the celebration included the Consul General of the Russian Federation in Almaty D.A. Turaev and the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Almaty D.V. Meleshkin.

After the Communion verse, Archpriest Alexander Suvorov read aloud the Nativity Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.

Many of the faithful partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the clergy and the choir performed the glorification before the icon of the feast, singing the troparion, kontakion, and magnification of the Nativity of Christ. A many-years acclamation was proclaimed for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; for the Head, the hierarchs, the clergy, and the flock of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; for the President, the authorities, the armed forces, and all the people of Kazakhstan.

Metropolitan Alexander addressed the clergy and parishioners with words of congratulation on the feast of the coming into the world of Christ the Giver of Life and delivered a homily.

The live broadcast of the Liturgy was carried out by the television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District “Semirechye” (director and chief producer – Honored Cultural Worker V. Posadneva, chief cameraman – A. Schmidt); photographic coverage was provided by staff of the “Eleos-Meirim” Foundation (president – V.M. Kapsamun).

Security and order in the Ascension Cathedral and the surrounding area were ensured by representatives of the Union of Semirechye Cossacks headed by Ataman V.S. Shikhotov – a member of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan.

The archpastor congratulated cleric of the Ascension Cathedral Protodacon Vladimir Syrovatsky on his birthday, presented a holy prosphora, and wished him God’s help in his labors for the good of the Church of Christ.

Participants in the festal service were given educational brochures “Nativity Hymns”, prepared by the Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander and with the support of the “Eleos-Meirim” Foundation (president – V.M. Kapsamun).

“Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the all-joyous feast of peace and God’s love – the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

‘On this day God came to earth, and man ascended to the heavens,’ the Church now proclaims. Each time we celebrate the Nativity of Christ, we are granted, across the depths of the centuries, to contemplate spiritually the great and ineffable mystery of God’s love for the human race – ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14). In the silence of that blessed night, from the poor grotto there shone forth to the whole universe the divine dawn of the day of salvation. In the heavens the advent of this new era of human existence – the coming of God to people in the flesh – was greeted by the angelic hosts with triumphant singing: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men’ (Luke 2:14), and in Bethlehem – by the worship of humble shepherds and the gifts of the wise men of the East. Imitating the angels, the shepherds, and the magi, we too today glorify God with psalms and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19), render Him praise, and with reverence give thanks.

The feast of the Nativity of Christ grants extraordinary consolation to believing hearts. ‘God is with us!’ (Isa. 8:10) – and therefore we can always be for our neighbors an example of faith, hope, and love. ‘God is with us!’ – and therefore He has chosen us to act wherever people are in need of support and consolation. We should not be dismayed if our strength is small, if our possibilities are limited, if the good we have done seems insignificant, even if apart from prayer and words of compassion we can help the needy in no other way. Let us remember that the Lord, who promised a reward even for a cup of cold water (Mark 9:41), according to the words of Saint John Chrysostom, ‘accepts the deeds, welcomes the desire, values the action, and praises the intention.’”

From the homily of Metropolitan Alexander.