On January 25, 2026 – the 33rd Sunday after Pentecost, following the Feast of Theophany, the Church commemorates the Holy Martyr Tatiana and those who suffered with her in Rome.
Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral in the city of Almaty.
Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Chancellor of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan, and Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Dean of the Almaty churches and Rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral, Doctor of Theology, Mitred Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Almaty Church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov; Spiritual Father of the Almaty Diocese, Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov); Head of the Public Relations Department of the Metropolitan District and Keykeeper of the Ascension Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District, Doctor of Theology, Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; Cleric of the Ascension Cathedral in the Southern Capital, Archpriest Alexander Ievlev; Rector of the Theophany Church, Archpriest Valery Shavrin; Head of the Personal Secretariat of the Metropolitan, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; Keykeeper of the Kazan Cathedral in Almaty, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Head of the Distance Education Department of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Priest Daniil Bobylev; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Vitaly Bystrushkin, Deacon Alexander Piven, Deacon Ioann Zhuchkov, Deacon Georgy Tkachenko, and Deacon Daniil Pasyuk.
Liturgical hymns were performed by the Choir of the Metropolitan District (conductor – Honored Artist of Russia O. N. Ovchinnikov, choirmaster – V. Dudareva) and the Choir of the Ascension Cathedral (conductor – E. Boguslavets).
Praying during the service were: V. M. Kapsamun, President of the “ELEOS-MEIRIM” Public Foundation, staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration, benefactors of the diocese, and parishioners of the main cathedral of the Southern Capital.
The sermon after the Communion hymn was delivered by Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.
Following the Liturgy, a glorification was offered to the Feast of Theophany and the Holy Martyr Tatiana. Metropolitan Alexander then congratulated the faithful on the Sunday and the Name Day of those bearing the name of the Christ’s sufferer, wishing them good health, strength of soul, and the abundant help of God.
The archpastor addressed those gathered with a homily in which he spoke about the ascetic struggle and martyrdom of Saint Tatiana.
A special archpastoral greeting was offered to Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov), who is marking the 40th anniversary of his service in the holy priesthood this year. In honor of this milestone, Metropolitan Alexander presented Father Ioann with the Order of the Metropolitan District “Hieroconfessor Nicholas, Metropolitan of Almaty”. His Eminence wished the spiritual father of the Almaty Diocese health, long life, and God’s aid in the further carrying out of his pastoral labors for the good of the Holy Church in the land of Semirechye.
At the conclusion of the service, the Head of the Metropolitan District presented to the main cathedral of the Southern Capital a restored four-panel icon for permanent veneration and prayerful reverence by the faithful. The icon depicts: the Great Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer; the Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord John; the Three Ecumenical Teachers and Hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom; the Archangel Michael; Martyrs Florus and Laurus; Hieromartyr Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste; Saint Modestus of Jerusalem; Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia; and Saint Maximus the Confessor. The icon is adorned with an antique silver-gilt oklad, donated by the benefactors of the Almaty Diocese.
The keykeeper of the main cathedral of the Southern Capital, Archpriest Alexander Suvorov, gratefully received the sacred icon from the hands of Metropolitan Alexander.
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan then sprinkled the faithful with holy water.
The Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District celebrated the funeral service for Schema-nun Irina (Lubitskaya), a nun of the Iver-Seraphim monastery
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On the commemoration day of the Martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria of Rome, Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at the Sophia Cathedral of Alma-Ata
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