July 21, 2026 – the commemoration of the appearance of the wonderworking Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in the city of Kazan and the feast of the Abalak-Semipalatinsk Icon of the Queen of Heaven “The Sign.”
Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the oldest church in the Southern Capital, which was observing its patronal feast.
The cathedral preserves two especially revered shrines: a seventeenth-century Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, presented to the parish by the confessor of the faith and ascetic of piety of the twentieth century, Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), and an exact copy—“measure and likeness”—of the Vatican copy of the wonderworking Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The rite of blessing this copy was performed by Metropolitan Alexander in the city of Kazan before the ancient icon on October 16, 2021.
Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolitan District were the vicar bishops of the Diocese of Astana: Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Administrator of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, and Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov, rector of the Church of the Joy of All Who Sorrow in Alma-Ata; Archpriest John Lopatin, rector of St. Paraskeva Church and St. Alexander Nevsky Church; Hieromonk Dimitry (Baydek), Secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District; Hegumen Nazary (Markov), rector of the Issyk Hermitage of the Savior and St. Silouan; Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Priest Georgy Rublinsky, rector of Kazan Cathedral; Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin); Priest John Konoplev, dean of the Adrian and Natalia Church; Protodeacon Nikolay Grinkevich; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Konstantin Volnyagin; and Deacon Ilya Vorobyov.
Praying at the service were V.M. Kapsamun, Head of the ELEOS-MEIRIM Public Foundation; members of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration; students of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary; parishioners of the cathedral; and Orthodox residents of the Southern Capital.
During the reading of the Hours, Metropolitan Alexander ordained Joseph Lopatin, a third-year student of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary, as a subdeacon.
The liturgical hymns were performed by a combined choir of the churches of Alma-Ata under the direction of Solomonova.
Following the Eucharistic Canon, Metropolitan Alexander ordained Reader Joseph Lopatin to the holy diaconate.
The sermon before Holy Communion was delivered by Priest Georgy Sidorov.
The Divine Liturgy concluded with a service of glorification before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, followed by a procession with the Cross.
A memorial litia was then served at the cemetery located beside the altar of the Kazan Cathedral.
Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful on the patronal feast, delivered an archpastoral sermon, and sprinkled the congregation with holy water.
The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan also congratulated Deacon Daniel Pasyuk on the anniversary of his diaconal ordination, presenting him with a blessed prosphora and wishing him spiritual and physical strength together with God’s mercy in his continued service to the Holy Church.
The Divine Liturgy was broadcast live on the “Proobraz” YouTube channel with the support of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation (Head – V.M. Kapsamun).
“Of all the icons of the Most Holy Theotokos known throughout the Russian Orthodox Church, none is as widely venerated as the Kazan Icon. It is honored throughout the world, and millions of believers turn to it in prayer.
Human life is filled with sorrow, grief, and trials, yet Christian hearts always have an inexhaustible source of consolation. In times of hardship, distress, or danger, we faithfully seek the intercession of the Most Pure Mother of God. In response to our prayers, our sighs, and the hopes of our hearts, she warms our cold hearts with her motherly love, delivers us from misfortunes and temptations, and guides us toward the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. As St. John Chrysostom teaches: ‘The Virgin Mary hears us in every way, for the Mother of Salvation dwells in the place of light, in the land of the living.’
At the same time, we must remember that every blessing we receive through the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is granted by God through His grace, invisibly bestowed upon us through the prayers of the Queen of Heaven by means of her holy icon. The fulfillment of our petitions and hopes is possible only when our hearts are filled with sincere faith in God and trust in His mercy. The Holy Apostle Paul teaches us: ‘Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him’ (Hebrews 11:6).
Prayer cannot bear fruit without the purification of our own souls, without repentance and the amendment of our lives. In the words of the great Teacher of the Church, St. Gregory the Theologian: ‘Just as a cloud hides the rays of the sun, so a sinner who refuses to acknowledge and renounce his sins shuts himself off from the rays of God’s love and from the mercy of the Mother of God.’
Therefore, as we venerate the glorious image of the Queen of Heaven, let us earnestly ask the Lord for the forgiveness of our sins, for strength to overcome our weaknesses, and for victory over our passions. May the chief purpose of our prayers be the acquisition of a virtuous Christian life, of which the Mother of God herself is the perfect example. As the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer teaches, the Ever-Virgin ‘remained joyful in persecutions and afflictions, was not cast down by poverty or need, was never angered by those who offended her but instead did them good; she was meek in prosperity, merciful to the poor, helping them in every way she could, and serving as a teacher of piety and every good work.’ May the mercy of our Most Holy Lady, the Mother of God, be with us all.”
From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.
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