6 April 2026, in the evening on Great Tuesday, on the eve of the Twelve Great Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the All-Night Vigil at the Ascension Cathedral of the city of Alma-Ata.
The divine service of the feast of the Annunciation – stichera, troparia, irmoi – represents an extensive and profound interpretation of the Gospel reading about the annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary concerning Her conception of God the Word.
Concelebrating with His Eminence were: Archimandrite Joseph (Yeremenko); sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral of Alma-Ata, Head of the District’s Department for Public Relations Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; rector of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary, Head of the Information Department of the Metropolitan District, Candidate of Theology Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; the cathedral clergy.
On this day, according to the liturgical Typikon, the service began with Great Compline, during which the solemn hymn of the Prophet Isaiah was chanted: “God is with us, understand, O ye nations, and submit yourselves, for God is with us!”
Compline concluded with the litiya (augmented supplication) and the blessing of bread, wine, wheat and oil.
At Matins, during the singing of the polyeleos, a special magnification of the feast was performed: “With the voice of the Archangel we cry to Thee, O Pure One: Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee”.
After the reading of the Gospel pericope, Metropolitan Alexander addressed the parishioners with an archpastoral sermon on the essence of the feast of the Annunciation, which became the “beginning of our salvation” – the beginning of the deliverance of the human race from sin, the curse and death.
During the reading of the canon, the faithful were anointed with blessed oil.
The canon of the feast, composed in the 8th century by St Theophanes, Metropolitan of Nicaea, is devoted to the interpretation of the archangelic greeting to the Ever-Virgin and Her response to the annunciation; it is composed in the form of a dialogue between the Theotokos and the Archangel Gabriel and has special refrains: “The Angel cried” – “The Theotokos said”.
On the feast itself of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, on 7 April, Metropolitan Alexander will preside at the Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral of the city of Alma-Ata. The beginning is at 9:00.
After the conclusion of the divine service, according to ancient custom, the archpastor and the faithful will release doves into the sky.
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