Feast of the Synaxis of the Forerunner of the Lord John. Head of the Metropolis Celebrates the Divine Liturgy at the Theophany Church in Almaty

20 January 2026 – Afterfeast of Theophany, the Synaxis of the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Theophany of the Lord in Almaty, which was marking its patronal feast.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolis were the Dean of the churches of Almaty, Rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral – Archpriest Valery Zakharov, Rector of the Theophany Church – Archpriest Valery Shavrin, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolis – Priest Georgy Sidorov, Deputy Chairman of the Commission for Work with the Cossacks of the Metropolis – Priest Evgeny Kozlov, Sacristan of the Kazan Cathedral in Almaty – Priest Georgy Rublinsky,

Sacristan of the Adriano-Nathalievsky Church – Priest Ioann Konoplev, Protodeacon Nikolay Grinkevich, Head of the Protocol Service of the Metropolitan – Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

Also praying at the Liturgy was the President of the charitable foundation Eleos–Meirim, V.M. Kapsamun.

Liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Theophany Church under the direction of Maria Trifonova.

The sermon after the Communion hymn was delivered by Priest Georgy Rublinsky.

The Liturgy concluded with the singing of the Slavlenie (Glorification) in honor of the Theophany and the Forerunner of the Lord John.

Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the faithful on the Feast of the Baptism and the day of remembrance of “the greatest among those born of women, the prophet of both the Old and New Covenants,” after which he delivered a homily.

“Today the Holy Church celebrates the Afterfeast of the Theophany of the Lord and especially honors the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John. In the Orthodox Church, there is a tradition to commemorate, on the day following a great feast of the Lord or the Theotokos, those saints who were closely connected to the sacred event.

Thus, on the day following Theophany, we venerate the one who took part in the Baptism of Christ, placing his hand upon the head of the Savior. The Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John, the greatest of the prophets, concludes the history of the Old Covenant and opens the age of the New Covenant.

The Holy Prophet John testified to the coming to earth of the Only-Begotten Son of God, who took on human flesh. He baptized Him in the waters of the Jordan and was vouchsafed to behold the mystical revelation of the Holy Trinity on the day of the Savior’s Baptism.

The Forerunner of the Lord was the son of the priest Zechariah and the righteous Elizabeth. The Archangel Gabriel announced his birth, revealing to his father in the temple that a son would be born to him. Begotten through prayer, foretold from above, the child was filled with the Holy Spirit even in his mother’s womb. From his youth, the righteous John lived in the wild desert, preparing himself for his great ministry through an austere life of fasting and prayer.

At about the age of thirty, he came forth to preach repentance, preparing the people to receive the Savior of the world.

According to the hymns of the Church, St. John was the “radiant morning star,” whose brilliance outshone all the other “stars” – the righteous of the Old Testament – and who proclaimed the appearance of the spiritual Sun in the world – Christ the Giver of Life.

Soon after the Baptism of the Savior, St. John suffered a martyr’s death, being beheaded by order of King Herod.

Celebrating today the memory of the holy Forerunner of the Lord John, we are called once again to remember the main message of his preaching and to reflect on its importance: ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’

Repentance is the essential condition of our spiritual life, the preparation for communion with God, the path to union with Him.

True repentance begins with the recognition of our falsehoods and of the inexpressible mercy of God – with turning away from sin and contrition of heart for the evil committed.

Genuine repentance is a deep transformation of human life, a renunciation of self-willed, sinful, egocentric existence, and the beginning of a new life lived according to the commandments of the Gospel – in the pursuit of Christ’s truth, in love for God and one’s neighbor.

Prayerfully remembering the great prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, let us ask him that through his intercession and prayerful protection, he may grant us entrance through the gate of deep heartfelt repentance into the Kingdom of Heaven, where God dwells with those who love Him.

From the homily of Metropolitan Alexander.