August 13, 2026 – Forefeast of the Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord; commemoration day of Hieromartyr Benjamin, Metropolitan of Petrograd, and those slain with him.
Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Exaltation of the Cross Church in the Karasu microdistrict of Almaty.
Concelebrating with the archpastor were: the Vicars of the Astana Diocese – Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan and Bishop Benjamin of Talgar; Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek), Personal Secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District; Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov, Dean of the Ili Church District; 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 Roman Burdukov, Sacristan of the parish; Priest Georgy Rublinsky, Rector of the Kazan Cathedral; Priest Ioann Konoplev, Sacristan of the Church of Saints Adrian and Natalia; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; Deacon Rustik Yakupov; Deacon Georgy Tkachenko; and Deacon Pavel Kornienko.
The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Exaltation of the Cross Church under the direction of V. Burdukova.
At the Augmented Litany, special petitions were offered for the health and well-being of Bishop Benjamin of Talgar, who was celebrating his name day.
Praying at the divine service were: O.N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan and Honored Art Worker of the Russian Federation; parishioners of the church and residents of nearby communities.
Following the Communion verse, Priest Georgy Rublinsky delivered a sermon.
The Liturgy concluded with a glorification of Hieromartyr Benjamin of Petrograd, after which the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan addressed those present with a word of edification.
Metropolitan Alexander warmly congratulated Bishop Benjamin of Talgar on the feast day of his heavenly patron, wishing him strength of soul and body and God’s help in his further labors for the benefit of the Church of Christ in the land of Kazakhstan. The Head of the Metropolitan District presented the hierarch with a bouquet of flowers and a commemorative gift.
The Vicar of the Astana Diocese thanked Vladyka Metropolitan for his kind wishes and prayerful support.
The clergy and faithful also congratulated Bishop Benjamin on his name day.
At the conclusion of the divine service, His Eminence sprinkled those gathered with holy water.
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