17 February 2026. Almaty. In the Synodal Hall of the spiritual, cultural and administrative center of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), the first session of the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan in the current year was held under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.
The Synod of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan includes: Archbishop Barnabas of Pavlodar and Ekibastuz; Archbishop Sebastian of Karaganda and Shakhtinsk; Archbishop Amfilokhii of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk; Archbishop Varsonofy of Kokshetau and Akmola; Archbishop Vladimir of Petropavlovsk and Bulayevo; Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Administrator of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan; Bishop Ignatius of Aktobe and Kyzylorda; Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Diocese of Astana; Bishop Khrisanf of Shymkent and Turkestan; Bishop Veniamin of Talgar, Vicar of the Diocese of Astana; Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and Atyrau.
After the common prayer, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan greeted the hierarchs with an opening address and announced the agenda.
Metropolitan Alexander informed the hierarchs about his visit to the Kostanay Diocese.
The Synod heard reports from Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Administrator of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan. His Grace spoke about the conference “Religion in the Media without Stereotypes” held in Astana. The hierarch also delivered a report on the participation of representatives of the Metropolitan District in the XXXIV International Christmas Educational Readings “Enlightenment and Morality: Formation of the Person and the Challenges of the Times.”
Reports on the activities of their dioceses for 2025 were presented by: Archbishop Barnabas of Pavlodar and Ekibastuz, Archbishop Sebastian of Karaganda and Shakhtinsk, Archbishop Amfilokhii of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk, Archbishop Varsonofy of Kokshetau and Akmola, Archbishop Vladimir of Petropavlovsk and Bulayevo, Bishop Ignatius of Aktobe and Kyzylorda, Bishop Khrisanf of Shymkent and Turkestan, and Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and Atyrau.
The Synod considered current issues in the life of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and adopted a number of decisions.
The minutes of the session of the Synod of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan are published after their approval by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ (see Article 9, Chapter XIII of the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church: “The minutes of the Synod of the Metropolitan District are submitted to the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’”).
Main
Login or register, to write a comment!
Your comment has been successfully added and is currently being reviewed by the site administration