Relics of St. Spyridon Arrive in Kostanay

September 30, 2026. The incorrupt relics of St. Spyridon of Trimythous, which are visiting Kazakhstan with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, arrived in Kostanay.

The world-renowned shrine is being accompanied on its pilgrimage through the country by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

Traveling with the hierarch are Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Astana Diocese; 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; and representatives of the Metropolis of Corfu headed by Protopresbyters Evangelos Koutras and Thomas Kostamonitis.

The bringing of the relics of the Wonderworker of Corfu to the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District was organized with the support of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation.

The relics were welcomed at the airport by Hieromonk Gennady (Burdyuzha), Secretary of the Kostanay Diocese, and B.S. Bukeyev, Head of the Department for Religious Affairs of the Kostanay Regional Akimat.

From the airport, the reliquary containing the relics of St. Spyridon was taken to the Cathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles.

As the troparion and glorification to the saint were sung, the relics were carried into the cathedral and placed in the center of the church. Metropolitan Alexander then celebrated a moleben together with the diocesan clergy.

At the conclusion of the service, the Metropolitan blessed the four points of the compass with the reliquary containing the relics of the Wonderworker of Trimythous, blessing those gathered, the city and its residents. He then addressed the faithful with words of greeting and congratulations.

Parishioners and pilgrims then began venerating the relics.

The relics of St. Spyridon will remain in Kostanay until noon on October 2.