Spiritual Celebrations Marking the 25th Anniversary of the Uncovering of the Relics of the Heavenly Patrons of the Monastery and the 30th Anniversary of Its Revival Held at the Monastery of Saints Seraphim and Theognostus

July 16, 2026 — the feast of the Uncovering of the Relics of the Holy Venerable Martyrs Seraphim and Theognostus of Aksai. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the uncovering of the relics of the heavenly patrons of the Southern Capital and Semirechye, as well as the 30th anniversary of the revival of the Aksai Hermitage.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Administrator of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, celebrated the festal Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of Saints Seraphim and Theognostus in the Aksai Gorge, which was observing its patronal feast.

Concelebrating with His Grace were: Hegumen Tryphon (Pechkovsky), Abbot of the Monastery of Saints Seraphim and Theognostus; Archpriest Kirill Shklyar, rector of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Alma-Ata; Priest Roman Pudov, rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael in the village of Arkhangelskoye; Priest Alexander Podkova, rector of St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral in Karaganda; Priest Andrey Shklyar, rector of the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Alma-Ata; Hieromonk Sergiy (Vnukovsky), rector of St. Vladimir Church in the Southern Capital; Hieromonk Alexiy (Samosenkov), cleric of St. Alexius Church in the village of Baiterek; Priest Vladimir Bryukhanov, cleric of the Church of the Archangel Michael in Pavlodar; Priest Alexander Yermakov; Priest Kirill Freygang, Acting Dean of the Talgar Church District and rector of St. Nicholas Church in Talgar; Priest Evgeny Postrigan, cleric of the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Alma-Ata; Priest Georgy Rublinsky, rector of Kazan Cathedral in Alma-Ata; Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin); Hieromonk Bartholomew (Mostovshchikov), rector of the Assumption Cathedral in Atyrau; Priest Bogdan Boyko, Head of the Culture Department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District. The deacons were led by Deacon John Churkin.

Despite the demanding ascent to the hermitage, located high in the mountains of the Zailiysky Alatau, numerous pilgrims from the dioceses of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, together with the participants of the International Volleyball Tournament, gathered to celebrate the uncovering of the relics of the holy saints of God.

The liturgical hymns were sung by the Men’s Choir of the Alma-Ata Diocese under the direction of Deacon Alexander Piven.

The Divine Liturgy concluded with a service of glorification to the Holy Venerable Martyrs Seraphim and Theognostus. The choir sang the festal troparion, Bishop Gennady read the prayer to the saints, after which the clergy, choir, and faithful chanted the magnification.

Bishop Gennady conveyed to the faithful the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, congratulated those present on these significant anniversaries, and delivered a sermon.

The hierarch then sprinkled the faithful with holy water.

“Today we prayerfully commemorate the day of the uncovering of the relics of the Holy Venerable Martyrs and Confessors Seraphim and Theognostus of Alma-Ata. In the twentieth century, when the storm of godlessness swept across our land, these two monks bore witness to a true miracle through both their lives and their deaths. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: ‘Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul’ (Matthew 10:28). Saints Seraphim and Theognostus knew that earthly life is but a temporary pilgrimage, while our true homeland is in Heaven. In these mountains they built not merely a hermitage, but a spiritual fortress. They prayed for the whole world, for their people, and even for those who came to take their lives. Their martyrdom became the crowning glory of their life of prayer.”