On the feast of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, the Head of the Metropolitan District celebrated the Liturgy at the main church of the Southern capital

27 March 2026 – the celebration in honor of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom at the Ascension Cathedral of Alma-Ata.

On this day, the anniversary of Metropolitan Alexander’s assumption of leadership of the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan – the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan – is also observed.

In the main church of the Southern capital there is kept an exact copy, «measure for measure», of the wonderworking Feodorovskaya Icon, consecrated at the original shrine in the city of Kostroma in 2010.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Archbishop Amfilokhy of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk; Administrator of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen; Bishop Ignaty of Aktobe and Kyzylorda; Vicar of the Astana diocese Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan; Bishop Chrysanth of Shymkent and Turkestan; Vicar of the Astana diocese Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and Atyrau.

Also concelebrating were: Dean of the churches of Alma-Ata, rector of St Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; rector of the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Uralsk Archimandrite Theodosiy (Kuryanov); rector of the church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God «Joy of All Who Sorrow» Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyev; confessor of the Alma-Ata diocese Archimandrite Ioann (Sazonov); Archimandrite Iosif (Eremenko); key holder of the Ascension Cathedral, Head of the Public Relations Department of the Metropolitan District Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; rector of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary, Head of the Information Department of the Metropolitan District Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; heads of departments and commissions of the Metropolitan District in holy orders, rectors and clergy of the Alma-Ata churches, clergy who arrived with the hierarchs. The deaconal rank was led by Protodeacon Nikolay Grinkevich.

The hymns were performed by the choir of the Metropolitan District under the direction of Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov and the combined children’s choir of Sunday schools of the Southern capital (artistic director – N. Golovina, regent – O. Kartauzova).

Praying at the Liturgy were: staff of the Alma-Ata diocesan administration, students of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary, pupils of the Sunday school, and parishioners of the cathedral.

The sermon after the communion hymn was delivered by Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.

At the conclusion of the service, a glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos took place before Her Feodorovskaya Icon.

Many Years was proclaimed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church; to the Head, the hierarchs, the clergy and the flock of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; to the President, the authorities, the armed forces and all the people of Kazakhstan.

Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen read out a congratulatory address to Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan from the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan on the occasion of the anniversary of his service on the Kazakhstan archpastoral cathedra: «Seeing your many years of archpastoral labors and efforts, your sincere love for Orthodoxy and zeal for the building up of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:12), the Creator and Providence directed you here – to the ancient land of the Great Steppe, entrusted you with the care of the numerous Christian people, and committed to you the guardianship of the rich spiritual heritage of a country rightly called “the antimins spread beneath the open sky”. We are all witnesses to how, day by day, you labor on the Kazakhstan land with complete dedication, with an awareness of great responsibility for every word and every decision you make. Through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, whose wonderworking Feodorovskaya Icon we now venerate, and by the prayers of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan, may the All-Merciful Lord strengthen you in the feat of your high and responsible ministry as Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, grant you many years, and bless your labors and undertakings for the glory of the Holy Church», it was said, in particular, in the greeting.

In his response, the Head of the Metropolitan District sincerely thanked the hierarchs, clergy and all participants of the Liturgy for their good wishes and asked those present in the church for fervent prayers for the sending down of strengthening grace-filled help of God in his archpastoral ministry. «The Psalmist David teaches us, when accomplishing labors, implementing plans and seeing results, to address God thus: “Not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but to Thy name give glory” (Ps. 113:9). All that has been done and accomplished in the field of church ministry I attribute not to myself, but only to God, the Giver of all good things. The date we mark today refers to the labors of all of us – hierarchs, clergy, monastics and laity – all who labor here, on this ancient and blessed land», the hierarch said among other things.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan congratulated those gathered on the significant occasion – the celebration in honor of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God – and delivered a sermon. The faithful were sprinkled with holy water.

Present at the celebration was the Head of the Department for Religious Affairs of the city of Alma-Ata N.M. Kikimov, who conveyed words of good wishes from the city akimat to the hierarch. Also arriving to congratulate the hierarch was Deputy Secretary General of the International Organization for the Russian Language A.Yu. Volkov.

In anticipation of the forthcoming feast of Holy Pascha, the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan bestowed liturgical-hierarchical awards upon clergy of the Alma-Ata diocese:

to the rector of the Paraskeva Church of the city of Talgar Archpriest Vladimir Bartashevich – the right to celebrate the Divine Liturgy with the Royal Doors open until the «Cherubic Hymn»;

to the cleric of the Exaltation of the Cross parish Priest Evgeny Postrigan – the right to wear the palitsa;

to the cleric of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral of the Southern capital Deacon Vyacheslav Solomatov – the right to wear the double orarion.

Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the rector of the Nativity of the Mother of God Church of the Akzhar microdistrict Hieromonk Alexy (Cherevtsov) on the anniversary of his diaconal service.

«From apostolic times the Christian world has venerated the icons of the Mother of God; according to church tradition, Her image was first depicted by the holy Evangelist Luke. Our pious forebears were distinguished by deep and sincere love for the Queen of Heaven, as is testified by the multitude of images of the Most Holy Theotokos glorified by miracles in the Orthodox Church. Among them is a great shrine – the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, whose centuries-long history is connected with outstanding and glorious events in the life of the Church and the Fatherland. The history of the Feodorovskaya image of the Queen of Heaven, which has been in Kostroma for about eight centuries, preserves the memory of many miracles, gracious intercession and maternal help of the Most Holy Theotokos shown to Orthodox Christians. This great shrine is associated with well-known ascetics of faith and piety, renowned commanders and tsars. Glorified by numerous miracles, the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God is venerated as a helper in family well-being, in the birth and upbringing of children, and in difficult childbirth. Through prayers before this icon, healings from serious illnesses, including infertility, are granted, about which there are real, documented testimonies». From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.