On the night of 11–12 April 2026, Orthodox believers in Kazakhstan celebrated the Feast of Feasts and Solemnity of Solemnities – the Bright Resurrection of Christ, the saving Pascha of God.
The Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, celebrated the festal Paschal services at the Ascension Cathedral in Alma-Ata.
Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Archimandrite Joseph (Eremenko), confessor of the Alma-Ata Diocese Archimandrite John (Sazonov), head of the District’s Department for Public Relations Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; heads of departments and commissions of the Metropolitan District in holy orders; and the cathedral clergy.
Praying at the Paschal service were: Consul General of the Russian Federation in Alma-Ata D.A. Turaev, Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Alma-Ata D.V. Meleshkin, staff of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration, benefactors of the diocese, and numerous faithful.
The hymns were sung by the choir of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District under the direction of Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov and the choir of the Ascension Cathedral under the direction of E. Boguslavets.
Three hours before the beginning of the service, the Book of Acts of the Apostles was read in the cathedral. “The best proof of the truth of Christ’s Resurrection is the miracles performed by the Apostles, and the Book of Acts is nothing other than an account of apostolic miracles,” says Saint John Chrysostom concerning this ancient custom.
The Paschal service began with the Midnight Office and the canon of Great Saturday, “By the wave of the sea,” before the Shroud of the Savior placed in the center of the church. During the singing of the final irmos, “Weep not for Me, O Mother,” at the words “for I shall arise and be glorified,” the clergy lifted the Shroud from the bier in the center of the church and carried it into the altar. There it will remain upon the Holy Table until Ascension, in memory of the forty-day presence on earth of the Risen Lord.
At the conclusion of the Midnight Office, to the singing of the sticheron “Thy Resurrection, O Christ Savior,” a procession went around the cathedral. Paschal Matins then continued with the singing of the Paschal Canon, composed in the eighth century by Saint John of Damascus. After the canon, the clergy and choir sang the Paschal stichera. Then the Catechetical Homily of Saint John Chrysostom was read, in which all the faithful are called to partake of the radiant feast and enter into the joy of the Risen Lord.
During the singing of the Paschal Hours, the clergy changed their vestments from white to red.
In accordance with the Typikon, at the Liturgy of the Feast of Christ’s Resurrection special antiphons are sung, consisting of prophetic psalms: Psalm 65, “Make a joyful noise unto God, all the earth,” with the refrain “Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us”; Psalm 66, “God be gracious unto us and bless us,” with the refrain “Save us, O Son of God, risen from the dead, who sing unto Thee: Alleluia”; and Psalm 67, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered,” with the feast’s troparion as refrain: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death…”. Instead of the Trisagion, the baptismal hymn was sung: “As many as have been baptized into Christ…,” in remembrance of the ancient tradition of baptizing catechumens on this day.
The opening of the Book of Acts of the Apostles (chapter 1, verses 1–8) was read, as well as the Gospel passage concerning the divine nature of the Lord Jesus Christ, who in His Resurrection from the dead revealed to the world His divine authority (Gospel according to John, chapter 1, verses 1–17). According to ancient tradition, the Paschal Gospel at the night Divine Liturgy was read in several languages. Metropolitan Alexander began the reading in ancient Greek, after which the concelebrating clergy continued in Latin, Kazakh, Serbian, English, Russian, Mordvin, Italian, and Church Slavonic. The Paschal greeting “Christ is Risen!” is likewise proclaimed on this day in many languages and tongues, ancient and modern, as a sign of the universal triumph of the Christian proclamation of Christ the Giver of Life risen from the dead.
At the Liturgy, the Paschal message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ was read aloud.
After the Prayer Behind the Ambon, the Metropolitan blessed the artos, and after the conclusion of the service he addressed all present with Paschal greetings, after which he blessed the Paschal foods: kulichi, cottage cheese paskhas, and dyed eggs.
The Paschal service was broadcast on a large screen installed in the square before the cathedral. Before the beginning of Matins, documentary films by the Semirechye television studio (director – Honored Worker of Culture V.L. Posadneva) were shown on the screen.
The live broadcast of the Paschal service was carried on the YouTube channels “Semirechye” and “Proobraz,” with the support of the “Eleos-Meirim” public foundation (director – V.M. Kapsamun).
Representatives of the Union of the Cossacks of Semirechye, led by Ataman V.S. Shikhotov, member of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, took an active part in ensuring order and security.
Video recording of the metropolitan service was carried out by the television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District “Semirechye” (director – Honored Worker of Culture V.L. Posadneva); photographic coverage was provided by staff members of the Information Department A. Khalin and A. Shcheglov.
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