Bishop Chrysanthos Celebrates the First Liturgy in the Church Under Construction in Honor of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Shymkent at Lisya Balka

April 21, 2026. Shymkent. On Tuesday of the 2nd week after Pascha, Bishop Chrysanthos of Shymkent and Turkestan celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in the church dedicated to the New Martyrs and Confessors of Shymkent at Lisya Balka – the place of the martyric death of countless Orthodox hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and laypeople.

Concelebrating with His Grace were: the key cleric of the church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Shymkent, Archpriest Alexander Mogilevsky; clergy of St. Nicholas Cathedral of the city of Shymkent – Hieromonk Nicholas (Stroev) and Protodeacon Alexei Gorobchenko.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of St. Nicholas Cathedral under the direction of E.V. Aleshina.

During the litany for the departed, prayers were offered for the repose of hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and all Orthodox Christians “who in the time of cruel persecutions by the godless were tortured and slain, and who perished from hunger, cold, wounds, illness, and unbearable labors in camps, prisons, and captivity.”

Following the dismissal of the Liturgy, a glorification of the Bright Resurrection of Christ and the Paschal commemoration of the departed took place, after which Bishop Chrysanthos addressed the faithful with words of instruction.

At the conclusion of the service, the head of the Shymkent Diocese reviewed the progress of construction of the memorial church and held a working meeting. His Grace made a number of proposals for the further building process, thanked all those involved in the creation of the church dedicated to the New Martyrs and Confessors of Shymkent, and wished the responsible specialists God’s help in their labors for the good of the Holy Church.