Feast Day of the Great Martyr Panteleimon Prayerfully Celebrated in Alma-Ata

August 9, 2026 – 10th Sunday after Pentecost, commemoration of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Bishop Veniamin of Talgar, Vicar of the Astana Diocese, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Alma-Ata.

His Grace was concelebrated by: Archpriest Valery Zakharov, Dean of the parishes of the Southern Capital and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Archpriest Vladimir Volkov and Priest Ioann Livinsky, clerics of St. Nicholas Cathedral, the latter serving as Vice-Rector for Student Affairs of the Alma-Ata Seminary; Priest Petr Bakhtiyarov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the theological school; Priest Vladislav Pashkov, cleric of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Head of the Department of Church Practice at the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary and staff member of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District; Deacon Alexy Kanushin; Deacon Vladimir Alferov.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the St. Nicholas Cathedral choir under the direction of O. Solomonova.

Praying at the service were benefactors and parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral, as well as pilgrims from churches of Alma-Ata and the Alma-Ata Region.

During the litany for the departed, commemoration was made of the builders of St. Nicholas Cathedral and those who restored liturgical life there, as well as departed clergy and parishioners of the church.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a glorification of the Great Martyr Panteleimon was performed before his icon and the reliquary containing a portion of the holy healer’s head, which are kept at St. Nicholas Cathedral.

Bishop Veniamin congratulated those gathered on the Sunday and the patronal feast, after which he addressed the faithful with a sermon on the life and martyric feat of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon, the Unmercenary Physician.

The hierarch sprinkled the faithful with holy water.

Following the service, His Grace congratulated Priest Petr Bakhtiyarov on the anniversary of his priestly ordination and wished him God’s mercy in his continued service to the Holy Church.

Video coverage of the festal service was provided by: the Semirechye television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District (Director – Honored Worker of Culture V.L. Posadneva); staff members of the Eleos-Meirim Foundation (President – V.M. Kapsamun).