The stay of the miraculous relics of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous in Kazakhstan’s Southern Capital has come to an end. More than 65,000 people venerated the sacred relic

October 6, 2026. The stay of the miraculous relics of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous in Almaty has come to an end.

The great sacred relic of the Christian world, which visited the territory of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, was housed in the Holy Sofia Cathedral of the Iveron-Seraphim Convent.

The bringing of the relics of the Hierarch of Trimythous was made possible with the support of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation, headed by its President V.M. Kapsamun.

Every day, from early morning until late evening, an unceasing stream of pilgrims came with prayers to the great servant of God, seeking spiritual consolation and strengthening. More than 65,000 people venerated the miraculous sacred relic. Among the pilgrims were visitors from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and China.

The relics were guarded, and order in the Holy Sofia Cathedral and throughout the convent grounds was maintained, by Cossacks of the Semirechye Cossack Union.

On October 3 and 4, spiritual celebrations marking the arrival of the relics of Saint Spyridon took place in the convent’s principal church. The festive services were celebrated by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, concelebrated by the vicars of the Astana Diocese and the city clergy. During the celebrations, the Head of the Metropolitan District was presented with a newly acquired sacred relic – a wooden reliquary containing a portion of the covering from the tomb of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous, intended for the safekeeping of his venerable relics.

On October 6, at the Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov) Administrative and Spiritual-Cultural Center of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Metropolitan Alexander presented the representatives of the Greek delegation with the Order of “Yntaly Kyzmet Ushin” (“For Diligent Service”).

Late in the evening, following the final prayer service, the relics of Saint Spyridon departed Kazakhstan’s Southern Capital and set out for the city of Baikonur.

The great sacred relic of Orthodoxy is being accompanied on its pilgrimage by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan; Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Astana Diocese; O.N. Ovchinnikov, Chancellor of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan and Honored Worker of Arts of the Russian Federation; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; V.M. Kapsamun, President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation; and representatives of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu, led by Protopresbyters Evangelos Koutras and Thomas Kostamonitis.