Feast Day of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Head of the Metropolitan District Celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Iveron–Seraphim Convent in Almaty

January 15, 2026 – Forefeast of Theophany, commemoration day of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Sophia Cathedral of the Iveron–Seraphim Convent in the city of Almaty.

The feast day of the Wonderworker of Sarov, along with the celebration in honor of the Iveron icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, is the patronal feast of the convent.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Vicar Bishops of the Astana Diocese – Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan and Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Spiritual father of the Almaty Diocese Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov), Keykeeper of the Christ Nativity Cathedral Protopriest Alexander Gaichenya, Rector of the Church of St. Paraskeva and the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky Protopriest Ioann Lopatin, Rector of the Theophany Church Protopriest Valery Shavrin, Keykeeper of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul Protopriest Kirill Shklyar, Protopriest Alexander Sokolov, Head of the Metropolitan’s personal secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Head of the administrative secretariat of the Metropolitan District Priest Georgy Sidorov, Vice-rector for Educational Work of the Almaty Theological Seminary Priest Ioann Livinsky, Vice-rector for Academic Affairs Priest Pyotr Bakhtiyarov, Head of the correspondence department of the Seminary Priest Daniil Bobylev, Keykeeper of the Adriano–Nataliev Church Priest Ioann Konoplev, Keykeeper of the Kazan Cathedral in Almaty Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Chief of Protocol of the Metropolitan Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Clergy of the Sophia Cathedral and city clergy.

By blessing of Metropolitan Alexander, a reliquary was brought to the service from the Iveron–Seraphim house chapel of the metropolitan residence in Almaty, containing relics of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, a piece of the stone on which the venerable elder prayed for a thousand days and nights, a strand of his hair, and parts of his clothing and vestments.

The Liturgy chants were performed by the choir of the Sophia Cathedral under the direction of O. Usoltseva.

Praying during the service were: Abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina) of the Iveron–Seraphim Convent of the southern capital with the sisters of the monastery; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration headed by Secretary of the Metropolitan District, Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov; and parishioners of the church.

The sermon after the communion verse was delivered by Priest Ioann Livinsky.

The Liturgy concluded with glorification of the feast of the Nativity of Christ and Venerable Seraphim of Sarov.

At the conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the hierarchs, Abbess, clergy, and parishioners on the patronal feast and delivered a homily.

“Venerable Seraphim left us many profound and wise, yet simple teachings, grounded in the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers. One of the most well–known spiritual lessons we draw from St. Seraphim is: ‘Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved.’

The good and righteous spiritual state of a person filled with the Holy Spirit affects many others. But it is important to remember that sin, too, when it enters the heart of a single person, gradually infects more and more people.

Therefore, desiring salvation for ourselves and for our loved ones, and seeking to uproot sins and vices in society, we must begin with ourselves – live a virtuous life, acquire holiness, and be transformed by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer, according to the Venerable, is an essential means for acquiring grace: ‘Prayer brings the Spirit of God more than anything else, and it is the easiest to practice for everyone… For its fulfillment, there is always an opportunity – for the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, the healthy and the sick, the righteous and the sinner.’

Venerable Seraphim, through his example and teachings, calls everyone to follow the path shown by Christ. He invites us to battle against sin and our own shortcomings, being himself a beacon and a lamp for all who seek salvation.”

From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander