May 10, 2026 – the 5th Sunday after Pascha, “of the Samaritan Woman.” On this day the Church commemorates the conversation of the Lord Jesus Christ with the Samaritan woman, which contains the Savior’s teaching about worshipping God in spirit and truth.
For the Orthodox faithful of Alma-Ata, this day was also marked by the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral to the Church of Christ. In 1946, through the labors of the holy confessor Metropolitan Nicholas (Mogilevsky) of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan, St. Nicholas Cathedral was returned to the Orthodox Church, and liturgical life was revived within it.
The celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral were led by: Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, and Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, Head of the Central Asian Metropolitan District.
Concelebrating with the permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church were: visiting hierarchs – Bishop Irenei of Orsk and Gai (Orenburg Metropolitanate); Bishop Vikenty of Tara and Tyukalinsk (Omsk Metropolitanate); hierarchs of Kazakhstan – Archbishop Amfilokhiy of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk; Bishop Ignaty of Aktobe and Kyzylorda; vicar of the Astana Diocese Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan; Bishop Chrisanf of Chimkent and Turkestan; vicar of the Astana Diocese Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and Atyrau.
Also concelebrating with the hierarchs were: Dean of the churches of the Southern Capital and rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Dean of the Astana Church District Archimandrite Sergiy (Karamyshev); rector of the church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in Alma-Ata Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyev; rector of the St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral in Uralsk Archimandrite Feodosiy (Kuryanov); Head of the diocesan commission for canonization of saints Archimandrite Joseph (Eremenko); Archimandrite Gerontiy (Borisevich); deans of the Alma-Ata Diocese, rectors and clergy of the churches of the Southern Capital, heads of diocesan departments and commissions in holy orders; clergy accompanying the hierarchs.
Before the beginning of the service, for prayerful veneration and spiritual strengthening of the faithful, a reliquary containing relics of the 12 Apostles of Christ was brought into the church.
Praying at the Liturgy were: Abbess Ekaterina (Malgina) of the Holy Trinity St. Nicholas Monastery in Tashkent; president of the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim” V.M. Kapsamun; staff of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration; Cossacks; students of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary; benefactors of the diocese; students and teachers of the Central Sunday School and Sunday schools of Alma-Ata parishes.
The liturgical hymns were performed by: the choir of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District under the direction of Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov, the Byzantine choir from the Holy Mountain Athos under the direction of protopsaltis, chief choirmaster and typikon keeper of the New Skete of the Monastery of St. Paul, Schema-monk Damaskinos (Simeonidis), and the choir of St. Nicholas Cathedral under the direction of O. Solomonova.
During the Liturgy, prayers for the departed were offered for the ever-memorable hierarchs of Kazakhstan, among them the ascetic of piety Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov, †1975), the builders of the cathedral and restorers of liturgical life, as well as the departed clergy and parishioners of the church.
After the Communion verse, the Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov, read aloud the Address of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral of Alma-Ata to the Orthodox Church.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, on the square before the cathedral, a glorification of the Bright Resurrection of Christ and of the Apostles of Christ took place before the reliquary containing their holy relics.
Many Years was proclaimed for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church; for the Most Reverend hierarchs, clergy, monastics and God-protected Orthodox flock; for the President, authorities, armed forces and all the people of Kazakhstan.
After the Liturgy, Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan read aloud the greeting of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral. Metropolitan Vikenty also conveyed words of good wishes to the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan on behalf of the hierarchs, clergy, monastics and laity of the Central Asian Metropolitan District.
Concluding the service, the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District sincerely thanked the visiting hierarchs, clergy and all participants in the celebrations for their common prayer. The Metropolitan congratulated those gathered on the special festivities adorning the Paschal days – the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral to the Orthodox Church. In his sermon, Metropolitan Alexander recalled milestones in the history of St. Nicholas Cathedral and the ascetics of faith and piety who through their labors preserved and restored the cathedral during the difficult years of persecution against Orthodoxy.
After exchanging the Paschal kiss with parishioners and pilgrims, Metropolitan Alexander sprinkled those gathered with holy water.
A live broadcast of the service was carried out on the “Proobraz” YouTube channel with the support of the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim” (director – V.M. Kapsamun).
Video coverage of the metropolitan service was provided by the television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District “Semirechye” (director – Honored Worker of Culture V.L. Posadneva); photographic coverage was carried out by employees of the Information Department A. Khalin and A. Shcheglov.
On the same day, Metropolitan Alexander met at the spiritual, cultural and administrative center of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov) with the hierarchs who had arrived for the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral to the Church of Christ.
Participants in the festivities also familiarized themselves with an exhibition dedicated to the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral to the Orthodox Church, featuring unique photographs and documentary materials telling the history of the cathedral during the 1950s–1970s. The exhibition was organized by staff members of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary (curator – Priest Ioann Livinsky).
“Today, for the residents of Alma-Ata and for all Kazakhstanis to whom the history of our country is dear, who value its spiritual and cultural heritage, this is a special celebration. In the Paschal season, filled with rejoicing in the Risen Christ, we commemorate a significant date – 80 years since the resumption of liturgical life in St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Southern Capital. Through the labors of the holy confessor Nicholas (Mogilevsky), Metropolitan of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan, this majestic church at the foot of the Zailiysky Alatau, dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, was returned to its lawful owner – the Orthodox faithful people. Today St. Nicholas Cathedral is one of the symbols of the revival of Orthodoxy on the land of Kazakhstan and a monument to the courage of the hierarchs, clergy and laity of the twentieth century who boldly confessed the truth of God before militant unbelief. It bears witness to the invincibility of Orthodoxy and the strength of spirit of pious people; it proclaims that the Risen Lord remains with the faithful ‘always, even unto the end of the world’ (Matt. 28:20). Remembering the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral to the Orthodox Church, we must gratefully remember all those who built and restored it, who served and prayed within these sacred walls. Words of gratitude are also addressed today to the modern benefactors and laborers. I wish abundant mercy from Christ the Giver of Life to all who now labor in this ancient church and to all who visit and love St. Nicholas Cathedral.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.
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