Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District Consecrates Newly Crafted Domes and Crosses for the Nativity of the Mother of God Cathedral Under Construction in Taldykorgan

August 2, 2026. Taldykorgan. On the feast day of the Holy Prophet Elijah, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the rite of blessing for the newly crafted domes and crosses of the Nativity of the Mother of God Cathedral, currently under construction.

Joining in prayer during the service were: Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan and Bishop Veniamin of Talgar, auxiliary bishops of the Astana Diocese; Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, Rector of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary and Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; Archpriest Kirill Shklyar, dean of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Almaty; Priest Andrey Shklyar, rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenary Healers Cosmas and Damian in Almaty; Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; together with parishioners and benefactors of the parish.

Among those praying were O.N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Figure of Kazakhstan and Honored Artist of Russia; V.M. Kapsamun, President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Charitable Foundation; construction specialists responsible for the project; and staff members of the Eleos-Meirim Foundation.

Also in attendance were D.R. Yesdauletov, Deputy Akim of the Zhetysu Region, and S.A. Zhanabay, Head of the Zhetysu Regional Department for Religious Affairs.

For the spiritual strengthening and veneration of the faithful, a reliquary containing a portion of the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos was brought to the site of the future cathedral.

Before the blessing, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated those gathered on the feast of the Holy Prophet Elijah and spoke about the significance of the church in the life of every Orthodox Christian, emphasizing the importance of church construction for the healthy spiritual development of society, the preservation of traditional moral values, and the safeguarding of the nation’s historical memory.

Among other things, the Metropolitan said:

“From the apostolic age to the present day, the Cross has remained the object of the deepest reverence and veneration for all who truly believe in the Gospel. Two thousand years ago, upon the Cross, our Savior voluntarily endured suffering and humiliation ‘for us and for our salvation,’ trampling down death by His death. Consecrated by the blood of Christ and sanctified by His Passion, the Cross has become the supreme symbol of God’s love for humanity and the eternal sign of victory over sin, the curse, and death.

Today we are participating in a spiritually significant event—the blessing of the crosses and domes that will crown the church dedicated to the Holy Unmercenary Healers and Wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian. These crosses, together with those that already rise above the churches and cathedrals of Almaty, will sanctify our city, our region, and our country with the grace of Christ, protecting us from every calamity and reminding all people of God’s boundless love for mankind.

Today’s celebration marks another important milestone in the realization of a major undertaking—the construction of a new church eagerly awaited by many residents of Taldykorgan.”

Following the prayers of blessing, the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District sprinkled the crosses and domes with holy water.

Metropolitan Alexander expressed his gratitude to V.M. Kapsamun, who oversees the construction project.

D.R. Yesdauletov, Deputy Akim of the Zhetysu Region, congratulated the Metropolitan and the faithful on the occasion, expressing his hope that the future cathedral would become a place of spiritual unity, the preservation of traditional moral values, and the strengthening of peace, harmony, and mutual respect.

At the conclusion of the service, His Eminence inspected the ongoing construction. Archpriest Kirill Shklyar, Priest Andrey Shklyar, and V.M. Kapsamun briefed the Metropolitan on the next stages of construction and the interior finishing work scheduled for completion by the end of the summer.