Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Divine Liturgy at Saints Peter and Paul Church in the Southern Capital

May 23, 2026 – Afterfeast of the Ascension of the Lord; commemoration of the Apostle Simon the Zealot.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Saints Peter and Paul Church in the Southern Capital.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolitan District were: dean of the churches of the Southern Capital and rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Valery Zakharov; 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 Saints Peter and Paul Church, Archpriest Vladimir Shklyar; secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District, Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek); dean of Saints Peter and Paul Church, Archpriest Kirill Shklyar; head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky); head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; rector of Kazan Cathedral in Alma-Ata, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; and Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

Praying during the Liturgy were: Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, conductor of the Choir of the Metropolitan District, and member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing, O.N. Ovchinnikov, together with benefactors and parishioners of the church.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of Saints Peter and Paul Church under the direction of I.N. Korovina.

The homily before Holy Communion was delivered by Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek).

The Liturgy concluded with a glorification of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, after which Metropolitan Alexander delivered a sermon.

The Head of the Metropolitan District congratulated Priest Georgy Rublinsky on the anniversary of his priestly ordination, presented him with a blessed prosphora, and wished him God’s mercy in his continued service to the Holy Church.

His Eminence then sprinkled the faithful with holy water.