Service of the Vicars of the Astana Diocese on the Feast of Theophany

On January 19, 2026, in Almaty, with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, the vicars of the Astana Diocese celebrated divine services in the churches of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.

Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St Nicholas Cathedral in the city of Almaty.

Concelebrating with His Grace were: Dean of the churches of Almaty and Rector of St Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Priest Oleg Nasymov; Vice-Rector for Educational Work of the Almaty Theological Seminary Priest Ioann Livinsky; Priest Vyacheslav Isikov; Deacon Ioann Churkin.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of St Nicholas Cathedral under the direction of O. Solomonova.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Bishop Gennady, together with the clergy, celebrated the rite of the Great Blessing of Water.

After sprinkling the church and the faithful with the great Agiasma, the clergy and choir chanted the troparion and kontakion of the feast before the icon of the Baptism.

Following the service, the archpastor greeted the faithful on the Feast of Theophany and delivered a word of edification.

On the eve, the hierarch celebrated the All-Night Vigil with the Litia at St Nicholas Cathedral.

During the night of January 18–19, Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Astana Diocese, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the representation of the Taldykorgan Vicariate – the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Alatau microdistrict of Almaty.

Concelebrating with the archpastor were: Archimandrite Gavriil (Tutberidze), Archpriest Vladimir Glukhikh, Priest Nikolai Matlashov, Deacon Grigory Levchenko, and Deacon Rustik Yakupov.

The choir of the Annunciation Church, directed by K. Bocharova, sang at the service.

Praying at the service were Orthodox residents of the Alatau microdistrict and faithful from surrounding settlements.

At the end of the Liturgy, during the chanting of the troparia “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters…”, Bishop Klavdian and the concelebrating clergy came to the centre of the church and performed the rite of the Great Blessing of Water.

Upon the conclusion of the service, the hierarch greeted the congregation on the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism and delivered a sermon.

On the eve, the archpastor celebrated the All-Night Vigil with the Litia at the Annunciation Church.

During the night of January 18–19, Bishop Veniamin of Talgar, Vicar of the Astana Diocese, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in the city of Kostanay.

Concelebrating with His Grace were: Secretary of the Kostanay Diocese Hieromonk Gennady (Burdyuzha) and the cathedral clergy.

The hymns were sung by the choir of the main church of the Kostanay Diocese under the direction of conductor T. Zhebrak.

The hierarch offered prayers for the increase of love and the eradication of all hatred and malice.

After the prayer behind the ambo, Bishop Veniamin and the concelebrating clergy performed the rite of the Great Blessing of Water.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the archpastor congratulated the parishioners on the Feast of Theophany and preached a homily.

On the eve, His Grace celebrated the All-Night Vigil with the Litia at the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen.