On the feast of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Liturgy at the Iveron–Seraphim Monastery marking its patronal feast

28 February 2026 – Saturday of the 1st week of Great Lent; the commemoration of the holy Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit (movable observance on the Saturday of the 1st week of Great Lent); the celebration in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God and the commemoration of St Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus’, Wonderworker (transferred observances from 25 February).

At St Sophia Cathedral of the Iveron–Seraphim Women’s Monastery in the city of Almaty, where a revered copy of the wonderworking Iveron Icon of the Mother of God is kept, the festal Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

Concelebrating with the archpastor were: Archimandrite Joseph (Yeremenko); Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District, Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; Hieromonk Dimitry Baidek; Hieromonk Onisim (Tulnikov); Rector of the Church of Cosmas and Damian, Priest Andrei Shklyar; Head of the Biblical and Theological Department of the Almaty Seminary, Priest Oleg Lisin; Head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky); Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; Archpriest Alexander Sokolov; Rector of the Kazan Cathedral of Almaty, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Head of the Seminary Chancery, Priest Alexander Shishlov; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; and clergy of the city’s churches.

On an analogion in the center of the church stood the cell icon belonging to the ever-memorable elder-hierarch Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov)—the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

The choir of St Sophia Cathedral of the monastery sang under the direction of O. Usoltseva.

Praying in the church together with parishioners and pilgrims were: Secretary of the Metropolitan District, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Church Singing and Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov; Abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina) of the Iveron–Seraphim Women’s Monastery with the sisters of the convent; students of the Almaty Theological Seminary; staff of the Almaty diocesan administration; pupils of the monastery Sunday school; and benefactors of the convent.

During the service, prayers were offered for the repose of the Most Holy Patriarchs of Moscow and All Rus’—Alexis I (Simansky) and Alexis II (Ridiger). St Alexis of Moscow, whose memory is celebrated on this day, is the heavenly patron of the ever-memorable primates. Also commemorated were the ever-memorable hierarchs of Kazakhstan buried in the monastery: the Apostle of the Great Steppe—Archbishop Sophronius (Sokolsky, †1877); Bishop Nikon (Bogoyavlensky, †1897); and the ascetic of piety Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov, †1975); as well as the departed abbesses of the Iveron–Seraphim Monastery—Nun Paisiya (Kryuchkova), Abbess Nektaria (Dimitrieva) and Abbess Euphrosinia (Bakurevich).

The homily after the Communion verse was delivered by Archimandrite Joseph (Yeremenko).

According to pious tradition, on this day the majority of the faithful partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

The Liturgy concluded with glorification of the Most Holy Mother of God before Her Iveron Icon, of the Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit and of St Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow.

The Metropolitan, clergy and faithful sang “Memory Eternal” to the Most Holy Patriarchs of Moscow and All Rus’—Alexis I (Simansky) and Alexis II (Ridiger)—as well as to the elder-hierarch Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), whose tomb is located in St Sophia Cathedral.

The Head of the Metropolitan District congratulated the abbess, the clergy and the parishioners on the patronal feast, and those who had approached the Holy Chalice—on receiving the Heavenly Mysteries of Christ, after which he addressed those gathered with an archpastoral word.

“In the days of Great Lent, the Church calls us to active participation in the sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion, so that this communion with Christ may become a constant and inseparable part of our entire life. ‘I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing’ (John 15:5), the Lord addresses us. We cannot free ourselves from the darkness of sin and become virtuous Christians unless we have the closest communion with our Savior. Christ Himself revealed to us the way of mystical union with Him—participation in the Divine Eucharist. Just as a person cannot live physically without food and drink, so likewise he cannot exist without the Body and Blood of Christ. The Lord Himself said of the significance of Communion for the believer: ‘My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed’ (John 6:55). Therefore, having cleansed ourselves by repentance, let us always strive to approach the Holy Chalice, that we may partake of the divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries of Christ.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.