Spiritual Celebrations Held in the Capital of Western Kazakhstan on the Occasion of the Bringing of the Right Hand of St. Spyridon of Trimythous

September 23, 2026 – the Afterfeast of the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and the commemoration of Hieromartyr Uar, Bishop of Lipetsk and Karaganda.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the principal church of the Uralsk Diocese – the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Uralsk, where the reliquary containing the incorrupt right hand of St. Spyridon of Trimythous had been brought shortly beforehand.

Numerous parishioners from the city’s churches, as well as faithful from cities and villages throughout the West Kazakhstan Region, came to take part in the spiritual celebrations and venerate the relics of the great saint of God.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Bishop Ignatius of Aktobe and Kyzylorda; Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and Atyrau; Archpriest Anatoly Robu, Rector of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Uralsk; Archimandrite Dionysius (Kozulev), cleric of the Intercession Convent in Uralsk; Hegumen Dorotheus (Dilmanaev), Head of the Information Department of the Uralsk Diocese; Archpriest Dimitry Noskov, Rector of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Aksai; Archpriest Alexander Pushin, cleric of the Transfiguration Church in Uralsk; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Hieromonk Bartholomew (Mostovshchikov), Rector of the Bishop’s Metochion of St. Nicholas Monastery in the village of Derkul, West Kazakhstan Region; Priest Anatoly Gilyashev, cleric of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Uralsk; Priest Alexy Potapov, Rector of the Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs in the village of Chapaevo, West Kazakhstan Region; and clergy of the Uralsk and Astana Dioceses.

The diaconal rank was headed by Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service.

The liturgical hymns were sung by the choir of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael under the direction of L.V. Bondareva.

Praying at the service were: Protopresbyter Evangelos Koutras and Protopresbyter Thomas Kostamonitis, clerics of the Metropolis of Corfu of the Church of Greece; Abbess Varvara (Morozova), Superior of the Intercession Convent, together with the sisters of the monastery; A.V. Gruby, Consul General of Russia in Uralsk; representatives of the Cossack community; and parishioners of the cathedral.

After the Communion verse, Archimandrite Dionysius (Kozulev) read the address of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan on the occasion of the bringing of the incorrupt right hand of St. Spyridon of Trimythous to Kazakhstan.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a service of glorification in honor of the Great Feast and St. Spyridon of Trimythous was celebrated before the icon of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos and the reliquary containing the saint’s holy relics.

The Many Years was proclaimed for the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’; the Head, episcopate, clergy and flock of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; the President, authorities, armed forces and all the people of Kazakhstan.

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan congratulated Bishop Vianor, Bishop Ignatius, the clergy, parishioners and pilgrims on the Feast of the Nativity of the Queen of Heaven and the bringing of the relics of St. Spyridon to the principal city of Western Kazakhstan, after which he addressed those gathered with a sermon.

The ruling bishop of the Uralsk Diocese expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, who blessed the bringing of the relics of St. Spyridon to Kazakhstan. He also warmly thanked Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and V.M. Kapsamun, President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation, who organized the journey of the great holy relic throughout the dioceses of the Metropolitan District.

Words of gratitude were also addressed to Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu, Paxos and the Diapontian Islands and to the clergy of the Metropolis of Corfu accompanying the holy relics.

In remembrance of the service, representatives of the delegation of the Metropolis of Corfu presented Bishop Vianor with an icon of St. Spyridon of Trimythous that had been blessed at his holy relics.

Following the service, Metropolitan Alexander sprinkled the worshippers with holy water.

A.N. Tapishev, Head of the Department for Religious Affairs of the West Kazakhstan Region, arrived to congratulate the Head of the Metropolitan District, Bishop Vianor of Uralsk and the Orthodox community on the bringing of the relics of St. Spyridon to the capital of Western Kazakhstan.

Throughout the day, the clergy of the diocese will celebrate molebens with akathists before the incorrupt right hand of St. Spyridon of Trimythous at the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Uralsk.