The Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District awarded high church honors to prominent public figures and representatives of the academic community

10 March 2026. Moscow. A meeting took place at the Representation of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, at the Patriarchal Metochion of the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia, between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and public figures and representatives of the academic community who support the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

After exchanging greetings, the Metropolitan told the guests about the life of Orthodoxy in Kazakhstan and the activities of the Moscow representation of the Metropolitan District, which was opened at the Patriarchal Metochion on 14 March 2012 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’. His Eminence emphasized that the Patriarchal Metochion had been visited by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelovich Tokayev.

The archpastor informed the interlocutors that the Republic of Kazakhstan is preparing to hold a referendum on the adoption of a new Constitution, scheduled for 15 March.

During the conversation, church-state, church-public and interconfessional relations in Kazakhstan and Russia were discussed.

In recognition of their labors for the benefit of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, the provision of expert legal assistance and support for educational and social-charitable projects, Metropolitan Alexander awarded the participants of the meeting with high church decorations:

O.A. Ladychenko, marking the 75th anniversary of his birth – the Order “Yntaly Kyzmet Ushin” (For Diligent Service)

V.V. Kalinin, deputy of the Saratov Regional Duma, member of the Union of Journalists of Russia, member of the Union of Writers of Russia – the Order “Enbek Ushin” (For Labors)

E.V. Aristov, Doctor of Law, Head of the Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law of Perm State National Research University – the Order “Enbek Ushin” (For Labors)

Yu.S. Vasechko, religious scholar, methodologist of the Department of Methodology and Advanced Didactics of the Moscow City Pedagogical University, member of the Union of Writers of Russia – the Order of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia

I.Yu. Chepurnaya, lawyer of the Moscow Region Bar Association – the Order of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia

T.A. Kvitkovskaya, lawyer – the Order of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia

The participants of the meeting warmly thanked the hierarch for the awards presented and expressed hope for the further development of cooperation.

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan congratulated those awarded, thanked them for their labors and wished them health, long life and the mercy of the Lord.