On the Eve of the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the All-Night Vigil at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Alma-Ata

May 21, 2026. On the eve of the feast day of Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the Wonderworker, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the All-Night Vigil at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Alma-Ata.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Archbishop Amphilochius of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk; Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Chancellor of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; Archpriest Valery Zakharov, dean of the churches of the Southern Capital and rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Archimandrite Gerontius (Borisevich); Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov, rector of the Alma-Ata church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”; Archpriest Igor Svetlichny, dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Archpriest Alexander Suvorov, head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District’s Department for Public Relations and dean of the Ascension Cathedral of the Southern Capital; Archpriest Kirill Shklyar, dean of Sts. Peter and Paul Church; Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov, dean of the Ili Church District; and the city clergy. The deacons’ rank was headed by Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich.

Before the beginning of the service, the reliquary containing the relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, preserved in the cathedral sanctuary, was brought out for the prayerful veneration of the faithful. The relic fragment of the Hierarch of Myra was presented to St. Nicholas Cathedral by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan. All participants in the service had the opportunity to venerate this great holy object.

The hymns were performed by the Choir of St. Nicholas Cathedral under the direction of O. Berekesheva and the parish choir under the direction of O. Solomonova.

Praying in the church were: V.M. Kapsamun, president of the public foundation Eleos-Meirim; teachers and pupils of the Central Sunday School of the Southern Capital led by director G.V. Cherepanova; and numerous parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral.

During Great Vespers, in accordance with the Church Typikon, a litya (solemn intercessory prayer) was served with the blessing of bread, wine, wheat, and oil.

At Matins, Metropolitan Alexander, the hierarchs, and the concelebrating clergy chanted the Akathist to the Hierarch of Myra.

Following the reading of the Gospel passage, the Head of the Metropolitan District congratulated the faithful on the patronal feast of one of Alma-Ata’s oldest churches and delivered a sermon on the veneration of Saint Nicholas.

During the singing of the festal canon, the faithful venerating the icon and relics of the Saint of God were anointed with blessed oil.

On the feast day itself, the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Southern Capital. The service will begin at 8:30 a.m.