On the Feast Day of St. Mitrophan of Voronezh, Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Liturgy at the Iveron Church in Boraldai

August 20, 2026 – Afterfeast of the Transfiguration of the Lord; commemoration of St. Mitrophan, Bishop of Voronezh.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in the settlement of Boraldai, Alma-Ata Region. The lower church of the Iveron parish is consecrated in honor of St. Mitrophan of Voronezh.

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan was concelebrated by: Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov, Dean of the Ili Church District; Hegumen Filaret (Petrochenko), Rector of the Iveron Church; Archpriest Vadim Alexeyev, Rector of the Church of Righteous John of Kronstadt in the settlement of Zhetygen; Archpriest Georgy Lagovsky, Rector of St. Elijah Church in the settlement of Karaoi; Priest Alexander Ageyev, Rector of St. Seraphim Church in the settlement of Chapayevo; Archpriest Vyacheslav Pugachev, Head of the Metropolitan District Commission for Charity and Social Ministry; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Priest Vladimir Shishlov, Rector of St. Demetrius Church in the village of Baiserke; Hieromonk Savva (Kulbakin); Hierodeacon Afanasy (Kozel); Deacon Georgy Tkachenko; and Hierodeacon Zinon (Marov).

Displayed on the analogion in the center of the church was a revered shrine of the Iveron parish – an icon of St. Mitrophan containing a particle of his holy relics.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the men’s choir of the Alma-Ata Diocese under the direction of Deacon Alexander Piven.

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; residents of Boraldai and the surrounding settlements.

The sermon following the Communion verse was delivered by Priest Georgy Sidorov.

The divine service concluded with the glorification of the Transfiguration of the Lord and St. Mitrophan of Voronezh, after which the archpastor congratulated the clergy and parishioners on their patronal feast and delivered a sermon.

“The example of St. Mitrophan of Voronezh is particularly important for us because through his actions he provides answers to pressing questions of our own time. At the end of the seventeenth century, the Russian world was closely considering the new influences arriving from Western Europe. A significant part of society categorically rejected everything foreign, believing that all innovations were destroying the traditional Orthodox way of Russian life. These people adhered to the old rite and resisted the state authorities in all their undertakings. But this path led to a dead end…

“The wise and discerning St. Mitrophan, while tirelessly laboring to correct the morals of his flock, guarding piety and righteousness, and himself setting an example of holiness and life in Christ, was at the same time a companion and helper of Sovereign Peter the Great in his economic reforms. He provided every possible support for the construction of the fleet and blessed Peter in the founding of the new imperial capital.

“Of course, Emperor Peter, in his personal qualities, was far from the ideal of an Orthodox Monarch, but the work of state and military development that he undertook was necessary, if only to preserve the country and prevent it from being torn apart by the powerful Kingdom of Sweden and the Ottoman Empire. St. Mitrophan understood this perfectly well, supporting the Sovereign in his good endeavors while, when necessary, raising his voice in admonition against the Tsar’s secular pursuits.”

From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.