May 24, 2026 – Seventh Sunday after Pascha, of the 318 God-bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council; Afterfeast of the Ascension of the Lord; commemoration of Saints Methodius and Cyril, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Teachers of the Slavs. Name Day of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian in the city of Taldykorgan.
Concelebrating with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: vicar of the Astana Diocese, Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan; Archimandrite Geronty (Borisevich); personal secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District, Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek); rector of the Church of the Abalatsk Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Sign” in the village of Karabulak, Archpriest Georgy Karapetyants; clergy of St. John the Theologian Cathedral – Archpriest Georgy Didichin, Archpriest Pavel Anishchenko, Priest Alexander Matlashov, and Priest Igor Lazgiyev; rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenary Martyrs Cosmas and Damian in Alma-Ata, Priest Andrei Shklyar; head of the Metropolitan Secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky); head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Kabanbay, Priest Alexander Lutsenko; rector of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Usharal, Priest Nikolai Doronin; rector of the Kazan Icon Church in Sarkand, Hieromonk Vladimir (Mishchenko); cleric of the Church of the Archangel Gabriel in Taldykorgan, Priest Alexander Vavulidi; rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael in Ushtobe, Priest Rustik Nurgaliyev; Hieromonk Maxim (Romanov); Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Protodeacon Alexander Mokiy, and Deacon Rustik Yakupov.
For the Divine Liturgy, a reliquary containing a particle of the relics of Saint Luke the Physician, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea, was brought to St. John the Theologian Cathedral.
Praying during the service were: President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation V.M. Kapsamun, parishioners, Sunday school students, and Orthodox residents of Taldykorgan.
Guests of the celebration included: Deputy Akim of the Zhetysu Region, D.R. Yesdauletov, and Head of the Religious Affairs Department of the Zhetysu Region, S.A. Zhanabay.
The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of St. John the Theologian Church under the direction of Yu.S. Lazukina.
During the Litany of Fervent Supplication, special petitions were offered for the health and well-being of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, who celebrated his name day on this occasion.
The homily before Holy Communion was delivered by Priest Georgy Sidorov.
Following the dismissal of the Liturgy, a festal glorification was offered to the Ascension of the Lord, the Enlighteners of the Slavs – Saints Cyril and Methodius, Equal-to-the-Apostles, and Saint Luke of Crimea, Confessor and Hierarch, after which Many Years was proclaimed for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.
His Eminence, together with the clergy and faithful, offered prayers at the shrine containing the relics of the heavenly patron of Taldykorgan – Hieromartyr Vladimir of Lepsinsk.
The Head of the Metropolitan District sprinkled the faithful with holy water, congratulated those gathered on the commemoration of the Enlighteners of the Slavs, and delivered a sermon.
At the conclusion of the service, President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation V.M. Kapsamun presented to St. John the Theologian Church a newly painted icon of Hieromartyr Vladimir of Lepsinsk, heavenly patron of Taldykorgan, for permanent veneration by the faithful. The sacred gift was gratefully received by Bishop Claudian.
Metropolitan Alexander then presented awards to those who had labored for the good of Orthodoxy in Kazakhstan:
“‘You are the light of the world,’ Christ says to His disciples. This applies to all Christians and, above all, to those called to pastoral ministry. Like light, they are visible to everyone, and many eyes are turned toward them. ‘A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.’ Some rejoice in their presence and are inspired by them, while others envy and hate them and seek their destruction. Therefore, they must walk with all vigilance, remembering this. As the light of the world, they are called to enlighten others and share this light with them.”
From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander
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