Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates a Prayer Service Before the Wonderworking Feodorovskaya Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos

June 15, 2026. Kostroma. Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated a Prayer Service before one of Orthodoxy’s great holy objects — the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, kept at the Epiphany Cathedral of the Kostroma Kremlin.

For more than twenty years, during his service as Archbishop of Kostroma and Galich, Metropolitan Alexander served as custodian of this ancient wonderworking image of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Praying together with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan in the principal church of the Kostroma Metropolis were: Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Cultural Figure of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, and member of the Patriarchal Church and Public Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing O.N. Ovchinnikov; clergy of the Kostroma Metropolis, diocesan staff, and parishioners.

Metropolitan Alexander offered special prayers for the episcopate, clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; for peace and prosperity in Kazakhstan; and for the President, authorities, armed forces, and people of the Republic.

Following the Prayer Service before the wonderworking Feodorovskaya Icon of the Queen of Heaven, the hierarch addressed those present with a homily. Metropolitan Alexander conveyed to the faithful of Kostroma a blessing from the holy places of Kazakhstan, once described by the late Patriarch Alexy II as “an antimins spread beneath the open sky.”

In his sermon, Metropolitan Alexander said in part:

“Since apostolic times, icons of the Mother of God have been venerated throughout the Christian world; according to Church Tradition, the first image of Her was painted by the Holy Evangelist Luke. Our pious forebears were distinguished by deep and sincere love for the Queen of Heaven, as evidenced by the many images of the Most Holy Theotokos glorified through miracles in the Orthodox Church. Among them stands this great holy object — the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, whose centuries-long history has been intertwined with outstanding and glorious events in the life of the Church and the Fatherland. The history of the Feodorovskaya image of the Queen of Heaven, which has remained in Kostroma for nearly eight centuries, preserves the memory of many miracles, gracious intercessions, and maternal aid granted by the Most Holy Theotokos to Orthodox Christians. This great holy object is connected with renowned ascetics of faith and piety, celebrated military leaders, and tsars. Glorified through numerous miracles, the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God is especially venerated as a patron of family well-being, childbirth, and the upbringing of children, as well as a helper in difficult labors. Through prayers before this image, healings from severe illnesses — including infertility — have taken place, for which there exist real and documented testimonies.”