On the Sunday Commemorating the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral in Astana

July 26, 2026 – the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils and the feast of the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral in Astana.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolitan District were: Archbishop Sebastian of Karaganda and Shakhtinsk; Archbishop Ipatiy of Satpayev, Vicar of the Diocese of Karaganda; Archimandrite Sergiy (Karamyshev), Dean of the Astana Church District; Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, Rector of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary and Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; Hieromonk Gennady (Burdyuzha), Acting Secretary of the Diocese of Kostanay; Archpriest Evgeny Korolkov, dean of the Dormition Cathedral; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; cathedral clergy Priest Grigory Kulikov and Priest Andrey Parfenov; and Priest Andrey Ivashinin, a cleric of St. Sergius Church. The deacons were led by Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Dormition Cathedral under the direction of O. Varentsova.

Praying at the service were O.N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Figure of Kazakhstan and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation; Hegumenia Sevastiana (Plotnikova), abbess of the Monastery of the Mother of God Icon “Recovery of the Perishing” in Astana, together with the sisters of the monastery; N.V. Parshikova, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation; members of the Astana Diocesan Administration; pilgrims; and parishioners.

The sermon before Holy Communion was delivered by Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful on the Lord’s Day and on the joyful commemoration of the labors and witness of the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils. He then addressed the congregation with an archpastoral sermon.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan also introduced to the faithful of Astana the new hierarch who will carry out his ministry in the Diocese of Karaganda—Archbishop Ipatiy of Satpayev.

“Whenever the Lord’s Day arrives—the Little Pascha—the Holy Church reminds us of the mystery of our salvation through the Resurrection of Christ. Through the Savior’s Resurrection, every believer has received the opportunity to partake of the grace bestowed from above, so as to live according to the truth of the Gospel and the commandments of God: to be kind and merciful, honest and benevolent toward all people, and able to share both the joys and the sorrows of those near and far.

It is impossible to confess the Orthodox faith without careful and constant spiritual labor upon ourselves and upon our inner life. At the same time, we are called to transform the world around us through wise words and noble deeds, bringing into our own lives—and into the lives of those around us—the saving and sanctifying grace of God.

The Lord does not demand impossible feats from us. In following the Gospel commandments, only the first steps are difficult. At the beginning, we must learn to stop ourselves in time and wisely refuse to answer rudeness with rudeness, evil with evil, falsehood with falsehood, or judgment with judgment. The next step is to become attentive to the needs of our neighbors, to their sorrows and their successes.

We must understand that honest and righteous actions, whether within the family, at work, or simply in our dealings with neighbors and acquaintances, bring genuine joy to the heart and peace to the soul.

Addressing every person, the Savior continually calls: ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light’ (Matthew 11:28–30).

To experience and understand how good and light the burden given to us by the Lord truly is, we must hasten to do good.”

From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.