Head of the Metropolitan District Celebrated the Paschal Liturgy at the Alma-Ata Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”

16 April 2026 – Thursday of Bright Week; feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Unfading Blossom.”

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy according to the Paschal rite at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in Alma-Ata.

Concelebrating with the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: vicars of the Astana Diocese – Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Administrator of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, and Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan; dean of the churches of the Southern Capital and rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Candidate of Theology Archpriest Valery Zakharov; rector of the Sorrowful Church Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyev; Archimandrite Joseph (Eremenko); rector of St. Paraskeva Church and St. Alexander Nevsky Church Archpriest Ioann Lopatin; Hegumen Onisim (Tulnikov); Hegumen Alexy (Nesmeyev); personal secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek); head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District Priest Georgy Sidorov; sacristan of Kazan Cathedral in Alma-Ata Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Alexander Piven; Deacon Georgy Tkachenko; and Deacon Daniil Pasyuk.

The hymns were sung by the church choir under the direction of O. Solomonova.

Praying at the service together with the parishioners were: Secretary of the Metropolitan District, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Church Singing, Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov; and staff members of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration.

At the Communion verse, Priest Georgy Sidorov read aloud the Paschal Message of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the glorification of the Bright Resurrection of Christ took place, after which the Head of the Metropolitan District proclaimed “Christ is Risen!” in various ancient and modern languages.

Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the bishops, clergy, and laity on the Paschal celebrations and addressed those gathered with a word of instruction.

The hierarch then sprinkled the faithful with holy water.