On the day of the 50th anniversary of the episcopal consecration of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, Metropolitan Alexander celebrated a prayer service for the health of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church

14 March 2026. Moscow. On the day of the 50th anniversary of the episcopal consecration of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ Kirill, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated a prayer service for the health of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church at the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia at the Patriarchal metochion – the Representation of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.

Praying at the service were: assistant to the Head of the Metropolitan District Hieromonk Antoniy (Drobyazko), the clerics of the metochion, employees of the Representation, benefactors and parishioners of the church.

At the augmented litany special petitions were offered for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, who is honored this day:

– Again we pray to Thee, our Lord God, that the voice of our supplication and prayer may be heard, and that Thou mayest have mercy upon Thy servant, now honored, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, by Thy grace and mercies, and fulfill all his petitions, and forgive him all sins voluntary and involuntary: and may his prayers and alms be acceptable before the throne of Thy dominion, and cover him from enemies visible and invisible, and deliver him from every misfortune, calamity and sorrow, and from diseases, granting him health and long life: let us all say, O Lord, hear and have mercy.

– As fragrant incense and as a rich burnt offering, O All-Good Master, may this thanksgiving of ours be before the majesty of Thy glory, and do Thou always send down, as bountiful, Thy rich mercies and compassions upon Thy servant now honored, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, deliver the Russian Church led by him from all opposition of visible and invisible enemies and grant to all sinless long life with health and growth in every virtue, we pray Thee, O All-Generous King, mercifully hear and quickly have mercy.

– Look down, O Master Who lovest mankind, with Thy merciful eye upon Thy servant His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: and hear our prayers offered with faith, as Thou Thyself hast said: whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believe that ye receive it, and it shall be given you, and again: ask and it shall be given you: therefore we also, though unworthy, trusting in Thy mercy, ask: grant Thy goodness to Thy servant now honored, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: and fulfill his good desires and preserve all the days of his life in peace and tranquility, in health and long life: let us all say, quickly hear and mercifully have mercy.

After the litany, Metropolitan Alexander read the thanksgiving prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ our God, God of every mercy and compassion, whose mercy is immeasurable and whose love for mankind is an unfathomable abyss! Falling down before Thy Majesty with fear and trembling as unworthy servants, we humbly offer thanksgiving to Thy loving-kindness for the benefactions shown in past years to Thy servant His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, and now humbly bring them, and as Lord, Master and Benefactor we glorify, praise, hymn and magnify Thee, and falling down we again give thanks, humbly beseeching Thy boundless and ineffable mercy. As Thou hast now vouchsafed to receive the prayers of Thy servants and mercifully fulfill them, so also in the future grant Thy benefactions to Thy faithful servant, now honored, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, that he may grow in love for Thee and for his neighbor and in all virtues, delivering the Russian Church led by him from every evil circumstance and granting it peace and tranquility, and making it worthy always to offer thanksgiving and speak good things and sing praise to Thee, the God glorified in one essence with Thy beginningless Father and Thy most holy, good and consubstantial Spirit: glory to Thee, O God our Benefactor, unto the ages of ages.

Prayers for the health of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill were offered on this day in the churches and monastic communities of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.

«Looking at the Primate of our Church, reverently standing before the throne of God and offering the Eucharistic sacrifice for all and for everything, making numerous journeys through the metropolias and dioceses, ardently preaching and proclaiming the Gospel truth to those near and far, one cannot but marvel at how generously the Lord has endowed him with abilities and gifts and with what dedication he labors for the building up and development of every aspect of church life. For half a century His Holiness Patriarch Kirill has borne the difficult cross of archpastoral service and for seventeen years of this significant period he has been our First Hierarch, Great Lord and Father. With the help of the Holy Spirit and with the prayerful support of the fullness of the Church he patiently and boldly accomplishes his feat, affirming Orthodoxy. His diligent labors bring abundant and good fruits. His Holiness tirelessly calls the flock to live in accordance with the lofty Gospel ideals, to works of love and mercy, to the preservation of Orthodox unity, and to the building of peace and social harmony. Our contemporaries listen attentively to his authoritative voice, for his preaching, according to the apostolic word, is not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of spirit and power», – said the Metropolitan in particular at the prayer service for the health of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.