Metropolitan Alexander performed a memorial litiya for the newly reposed Metropolitan Lazar (Shvets)

On January 17, 2026, at the age of 87, Metropolitan Lazar (Shvets), who was retired in Simferopol and headed the Crimean diocese for more than 30 years – from 1992 to 2023 – reposed in the Lord.

At the Alexander Nevsky Chapel of the spiritual and cultural center of the Kazakh Metropolitan District named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan performed a memorial litiya for the newly reposed archpastor.

Praying at the service were: the Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, choir director of the Kazakh Metropolitan District, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing O. N. Ovchinnikov; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration.