Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan Meets with Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga

September 4, 2026. St. Petersburg, Russia. A meeting between the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, and Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, Head of the St. Petersburg Metropolia, took place at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

The meeting was attended by O.N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan and Honored Art Worker of Russia, and P.V. Sokolov, Personal Secretary to Metropolitan Alexander.

Following an exchange of greetings, Metropolitan Alexander warmly thanked the St. Petersburg hierarch for the opportunity to venerate the city’s holy shrines and visit places associated with his studies at the theological schools in the 1970s and his service as a subdeacon to the ever-memorable Archbishop Meliton (Solovyov).

Metropolitan Barsanuphius told the Head of the Metropolitan District about the life of the St. Petersburg Metropolia, which is preparing for celebrations on September 12 marking the feast day of the Holy Right-Believing Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky.

Vladyka noted that His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ is expected to visit St. Petersburg for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the revival of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. As part of the celebrations, on the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, His Holiness will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Academy Church.

Metropolitan Alexander shared with his interlocutor information about major events in the life of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, including large-scale international projects – the Eurasian Orthodox Youth Forum “Heaven. Man. Steppe” and a volleyball tournament dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the finding of the relics of the Hieromartyrs Seraphim and Feognost of Alma-Ata, which brought together several hundred young people from all regions of Kazakhstan and foreign countries, as well as the First All-Kazakhstan Congress on Church Social and Charitable Work “Serving One’s Neighbor.”

The Head of the Metropolitan District informed Metropolitan Barsanuphius that the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, K.-J.K. Tokayev, had awarded O.N. Ovchinnikov, Choirmaster of the Metropolitan Choir and Honored Art Worker of Russia, the title of “Honored Worker of Kazakhstan.” The hierarch emphasized that, for the first time in the country’s modern history, the head of an Orthodox choir had received this honorary title in recognition of outstanding achievements in culture and special services to the Republic.

The hierarchs exchanged views on a wide range of issues of mutual interest. They discussed Church-state relations and interfaith dialogue in Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as the development of theological education and spiritual enlightenment.

A particular topic of their conversation was the bringing of the incorrupt right hand of St. Spyridon the Wonderworker, Bishop of Trimythous, to the territory of the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Barsanuphius noted that the shrine had remained in the Northern Capital from August 27 through 31, during which time 130,000 faithful venerated the saint’s right hand.

Metropolitan Alexander noted that numerous faithful in Kazakhstan are awaiting the reliquary containing the relics of the saint of Trimythous. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the incorrupt right hand will arrive in Kazakhstan on September 21, the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God.

In recognition of the development of relations between the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District and the St. Petersburg Metropolia, Metropolitan Alexander presented Metropolitan Barsanuphius with a high distinction of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan – the Order of St. Nicholas the Confessor, Metropolitan of Alma-Ata.

At the conclusion of their meeting, the archpastors wished one another good health and God’s help in their Church ministry.