August 29, 2026 – the Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, the commemoration of the Translation of the Image Not Made by Hands of the Lord Jesus Christ from Edessa to Constantinople, and the feast commemorating the appearance of the great Orthodox shrine – the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan presided over the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral in Alma-Ata, where a “measure and likeness” copy of the wonderworking revealed icon is enshrined.
The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan was joined in the celebration by: Bishop Ignatius of Aktobe and Kyzylorda; Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Astana Diocese; Bishop Chrysanthus of Shymkent and Turkestan; Bishop Benjamin of Talgar, Vicar of the Astana Diocese; Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and Atyrau; Archpriest Valery Zakharov, Dean of the churches of the Southern Capital and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov, Rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in Alma-Ata; Archpriest Alexander Suvorov, Dean of the Ascension Cathedral and Head of the Metropolitan District’s Department for Public Relations; Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, Rector of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary and Head of the Metropolitan District’s Information and Publishing Department; Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya, Dean of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral; Archpriest Ioann Lopatin, Rector of the Church of St. Paraskeva and the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky; Archpriest Igor Svetlichny, Dean of St. Nicholas Church; Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov, Dean of the Ili Church District; Archpriest Georgy Kharlov, Rector of the Church of St. John the Baptist in Guldala; Archpriest Nikolai Tkachenko, Rector of the Church of the Theophany of the Lord in Malovodnoye; Abbot Nazary (Markov), Superior of the Savior-St. Silouan Hermitage in Issyk; Archpriest Valery Shavrin, Rector of the Theophany Church; Archpriest Kirill Shklyar, Dean of the Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Alma-Ata; Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek), Personal Secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District; Archpriest Alexander Sokolov; Archpriest Valery Shavrin, Rector of the Theophany Church; Priest Andrei Shklyar, Rector of the Church of the Holy Martyrs and Unmercenary Healers Cosmas and Damian in Alma-Ata; 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 Ioann Livinsky, Vice-Rector for Educational Work of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary; Hieromonk Sergius (Vnukovsky), Dean of the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God; and rectors and clerics of the churches of the Alma-Ata Diocese. The diaconal rank was headed by Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich.
Present in prayer at the service were: Abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina), Superior of the Iveron-St. Seraphim Convent, with the sisters of the community; V.M. Kapsamun, President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation; staff members of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration; students of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary; and parishioners of the cathedral.
The liturgical hymns were performed by the Choir of the Metropolitan District (Choirmaster – O.N. Ovchinnikov, Honored Art Worker of Russia; Assistant Choirmaster – V. Dudareva) and the Choir of the Ascension Cathedral (Choirmaster – E. Boguslavets).
During the service, special commemoration was made of His Holiness Patriarch Philaret, Nun Martha and Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, who received the blessing to reign before the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God; the ever-memorable Archbishop Cassian (Yaroslavsky) of Kostroma and Galich; and other hierarchs of Kostroma who served as custodians of the Feodorovskaya Icon.
Following the Communion verse, Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov delivered a sermon.
The service concluded with the glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos before the shroud depicting the Queen of Heaven and the Feodorovskaya Icon. Metropolitan Alexander then warmly congratulated the archpastors, clergy, monastics and laity on the special celebrations dedicated to the Mother of God. In his sermon, Metropolitan Alexander told those gathered about the history of the finding of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and about the grace-filled help and miracles manifested through this holy image.
Video coverage of the event was provided by the television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District (Director – V.L. Posadneva) for the Semirechye YouTube channel.
The service was broadcast live on the Proobraz YouTube channel with the support of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation (Head – V.M. Kapsamun).
“The wonderworking Feodorovskaya Icon of the Queen of Heaven is one of the most ancient icons in the Orthodox Church. Before this image of the Most Blessed Sovereign Lady prayed the builders of Holy Rus’; hierarchs and rulers knelt before it, while venerable and righteous saints called upon Her heavenly intercession. The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God was especially venerated by St. Nicholas the Confessor, Metropolitan of Alma-Ata; the elder-hierarch Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov); St. Sebastian the Confessor of Karaganda; and many sufferers for Christ who shone forth in the land of Kazakhstan in the twentieth century.
“Having passed together with our people through many hardships and trials, this holy icon became a visible sign of God’s help to all who with faith turn to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother.
“Our gratitude to the Queen of Heaven must be expressed not only in words but also in concrete deeds. St. Luke, Archbishop of Crimea, hierarch and physician, speaks of this in the following words: ‘As we glorify the Most Holy Theotokos, let us remember that we must not only praise Her, but also guard our hearts from everything that is contrary to Her heart and contrary to Her holiness.’
“The Mother of God is called more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, yet for all Her greatness She is also for us a blessed example of virtue. From Holy Scripture we see such qualities of the Mother of God as humility, modesty and obedience to the will of God. Therefore, as we ask the Most Holy Theotokos for all that we need in our earthly life, let us not forget to ask for what is most important, for the one thing needful (cf. Lk. 10:41–42) – for the heavenly gifts necessary for the salvation of the soul. We need spiritual strength and vigilance in order to fulfill the commandments. We all have a profound need for a merciful heart capable of loving selflessly and sacrificially, of forgiving, showing compassion and understanding.”
From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.
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