Celebration in Honor of the Astana-Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God. Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the First Divine Liturgy at St. Sergius Church in Kazakhstan’s Capital

July 6, 2026 – the feast of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and the Astana-Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God.

The Astana-Pochaev Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is a copy of one of the great shrines of the Orthodox world—the wonderworking Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, venerated throughout the Russian Orthodox Church. This copy was brought from Pochaev to the city of Tselinograd (now Astana) in the early 1960s by Archpriest Nikolai Ivanenko, rector of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen. In the early 1970s, the tradition of venerating the holy icon was continued by the renowned pastor and confessor of the faith, Archimandrite Kirill (Borodin). On June 4, 2011, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, chaired by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, established the annual celebration of the Astana Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos on July 6 according to the New Calendar.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the first Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Astana. The church, which was consecrated on September 18, 2025, by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, forms part of a larger architectural complex that includes the Cathedral of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Land of Kazakhstan and the Spiritual, Cultural, and Educational Center of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District. This project, long awaited by many Orthodox faithful, received the blessing of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. Construction, funded by benefactors, is currently progressing steadily.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolitan District were: Dean of the Astana Church District Archimandrite Sergius (Karamyshev); Dean of the Assumption Cathedral Archpriest Evgeny Korolkov; the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretary Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek); Acting Secretary of the Kostanay Diocese Hieromonk Gennady (Burdyuzha); Dean of the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen Archpriest Sergius Kaliyev; Dean of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Astana Hieromonk Siluan (Sinegubov); cleric of the Representation Church of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District at the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia in Moscow Hieromonk Daniel (Makogon); Head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky); Dean of St. Sergius Church Priest Sergius Dianov; Priest Viktor Drozhnikov; Priest Andrei Ivashinin; Priest Andrei Shidlovsky; cleric of St. Sergius Church Priest Nikolai Goryachev; Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Deacon Ilya Davydov, Deacon Mikhail Chumakov, and Deacon Yaroslav Vokhmentsev.

For the prayerful veneration and spiritual strengthening of the faithful, a reliquary containing a particle of the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh was brought into the church for the service.

Praying during the Divine Liturgy were: Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Music O.N. Ovchinnikov; the church’s benefactors; M.A. Spotkai, Chief of Staff of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan; employees of the diocesan administration, pilgrims, and parishioners.

Among the distinguished guests were: A.N. Borodavkin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Kazakhstan; A.I. Bogdanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Kazakhstan; and Archbishop George Panamthundil, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The liturgical hymns were sung by the choir of the Assumption Cathedral, directed by O. Varentsova.

The sermon before Holy Communion was delivered by Hieromonk Siluan (Sinegubov).

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a festal glorification was held before the Astana Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and the reliquary containing the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, after which the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan blessed the faithful with the icon of the Mother of God.

Many Years was proclaimed for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church; for the Head, hierarchs, clergy, and faithful of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; and for the President, civil authorities, armed forces, and all the people of Kazakhstan.

Following the service, Metropolitan Alexander warmly thanked the clergy, monastics, parishioners, and guests for the joy of their common prayer on the feast of the icon of the Queen of Heaven, the heavenly protectress of Astana. He congratulated all those present on the feast and delivered a sermon.

The benefactor of St. Sergius Church, A.S. Lavrentyev, presented the parish with a reliquary containing the relics of the Great Martyr Barbara of Heliopolis and an icon containing relic particles of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan. Priest Sergius Dianov gratefully received the holy gifts on behalf of the parish. Metropolitan Alexander thanked Andrey Sergeyevich for his devoted support of parish life and wished him God’s help in all his good works and endeavors.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan then sprinkled the faithful with holy water.

“The lessons of the past teach us, Orthodox Christians of the twenty-first century, that a truly believing person, however difficult the journey through this earthly life may be, is called to preserve within the soul ‘faith and hope in God’ (1 Peter 1:21)—that priceless spiritual treasure which inspired the Apostles, strengthened the martyrs and confessors, increased the strength of the holy hierarchs, and moved the venerable saints to lives of ascetic struggle. The Mother of God Herself is the perfect example of Christian life. As the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer says, ‘In persecutions and afflictions She was always joyful; in need and poverty She never despaired; She did not become angry with those who insulted Her, but even did good to them; She was meek in prosperity, merciful to the poor, helping them in every way She could; She was a teacher of piety and of every good work.’ May the mercy of the Most Holy Lady Theotokos remain with all of us ‘at every time and every hour’ as we honor Her wonderworking icons and venerate Her with faith—the Mother of our Lord and our loving Mother, the Queen of Heaven and earth.”

From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander