May 10, 2026. Alma-Ata. By the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, a concert by a Byzantine choir from the Holy Mountain of Athos, dedicated to the feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, took place in St. Sophia Cathedral of the Iveron-Seraphim Monastery.
The renowned choir arrived in the Southern Capital of Kazakhstan as part of its participation in the International Music Festival “Paschal Song.”
The choir is led by Schema-monk Damaskinos (Simeonidis), protopsalt, chief conductor and typikon keeper of the New Skete of the Monastery of St. Paul. On the Holy Mountain he is known as one of the leading contemporary masters of church singing, as well as a spiritual mentor connected with the hesychast tradition and the practice of noetic prayer.
The initiator of the event was V.M. Kapsamun, president of the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim.”
Among the honored guests of the musical celebration were: Archbishop Amphilochius of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk; vicars of the Astana Diocese Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan and Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; conductor of the choir of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, member of the Church-Public Council under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ for the development of Russian church singing O.N. Ovchinnikov; V.M. Kapsamun and Head of the Culture Department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Cultural Worker of the Russian Federation L.E. Goricheva.
Among those attending the concert were clergy who had arrived for the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral of Alma-Ata to the Orthodox Church; clergy and parishioners of the churches of the Southern Capital, pupils of the city’s Sunday schools, students of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary, and representatives of the creative intelligentsia.
Before the beginning of the program, Archbishop Amphilochius of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk addressed those present with words of greeting. The hierarch congratulated the guests and organizers of the evening on the bright feast of Pascha and noted the importance of holding such a musical event.
The audience was offered sacred hymns of the ancient Byzantine tradition dedicated to the chief Christian feast – the Bright Resurrection of Christ. During the performance, festal stichera, hymns from the canon, katavasiae and other compositions adorning the monastic services of the Holy Mountain of Athos during the Paschal period were performed.
At the conclusion of the concert, Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan thanked the conductor and singers of the Byzantine choir.
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