Metropolitan Alexander visited the church historical museum of the Kostanay diocese

30 March 2026. Tobyl, Kostanay region. The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, visited the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and the church historical museum of the Kostanay diocese.

The Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District was met by the rector of the church, Priest Andrey Krutin, Head of the Department for the Canonization of Saints of the Kostanay diocese.

His Eminence offered prayer in the church, after which he celebrated a memorial litia at the place of repose of the ever-memorable clergy of the diocese – mitred Archpriest Viktor Petrov, Archimandrite Anastasy (Ostapchuk) and Archpriest Vladimir Korolev, a spiritual son of Venerable Confessor Sebastian of Karaganda, who are buried near the altar of the Kazan Church.

The archpastor visited the diocesan spiritual and cultural center, which houses a chapel, Sunday school classrooms, a sports hall and the diocesan museum. The museum collection includes the exhibition «Those who suffered for Christ», which tells about the lives of people who endured exile, deprivation and martyrdom for their faith in God, and about churches that were destroyed during the years of persecution against the Church.

Priest Alexey, speaking about the museum’s work, informed the archpastor that until the 1930s there were 180 churches functioning in the Kostanay land, and by the end of the period of persecution against the Church only 4 active churches remained, the oldest of which is St Nicholas Church in Presnogorkovka. According to the general opinion, these figures testify to unprecedented persecution of Orthodoxy in this region.

The priest thanked the Metropolitan for his attentive attitude to the work of the church historical museum of the Kostanay diocese and for the valuable exhibits previously transferred – antimensia signed by the Kazakhstan hierarchs – the Confessor Metropolitan Nicholas (Mogilevsky) and the ascetic of piety Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov).

Metropolitan Alexander gave a high assessment of the work carried out by Priest Alexey and expressed hope that many more concerned people would respond to his call, ready to take part in replenishing the museum’s collections, preserving material evidence of destroyed churches and chapels, and of the lives and labors of clergy, monastics and laity of the Kostanay region.

The Metropolitan emphasized the need to intensify dialogue between diocesan custodians of antiquities and to conduct joint scientific and practical events in order to develop museum work in the Metropolitan District. The hierarch noted that Father Alexey’s extensive experience would be in demand in all dioceses of Kazakhstan where the creation of church historical exhibitions is underway or planned.

The Head of the Metropolitan District thanked Priest Andrey for his active work in perpetuating the memory of the ascetics of piety of the Kostanay land.