Visit of the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan to the Ust-Kamenogorsk and Pavlodar Dioceses of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District Begins

August 13, 2026. The archpastoral visit of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, to the Ust-Kamenogorsk and Pavlodar Dioceses of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District has begun.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan is accompanied on his trip by: Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek), Personal Secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; Subdeacon I.E. Yatsenko.

On August 14, the feast of the Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, Metropolitan Alexander will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Resurrection Cathedral in Semipalatinsk

Beginning at 08:30

On August 15, the commemoration day of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen, the Head of the Metropolitan District will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Archangel Michael in Pavlodar. A great shrine of Orthodoxy – an ark containing a portion of the relics of the Holy Archdeacon Stephen and a stone from the site of the martyrdom of the sufferer for Christ – will be brought to the service

Beginning at 08:30

On August 16, Sunday, Metropolitan Alexander will preside over the Divine Liturgy at the Annunciation Cathedral in Pavlodar

Beginning at 08:30

On August 17, the commemoration day of the Seven Youths of Ephesus, the Head of the Metropolitan District will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Znamensky Monastery in Semipalatinsk

Beginning at 08:00

The archpastor’s program in Semipalatinsk and Pavlodar includes the celebration of divine services, visits to churches and monastic communities, and meetings with the ruling hierarchs of the dioceses, clergy, monastics, members of parish councils, and regional authorities.