Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Divine Liturgy at the Principal Church of the Southern Capital on the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos

October 14, 2026 — the Feast of the Protection of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

The Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God was established in Rus’ during the reign of the Right-Believing Prince Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky. It commemorates a miracle that occurred in 910, an account of which has been preserved in the Life of St. Andrew of Constantinople, the Fool-for-Christ. When pagan barbarians besieged Constantinople, the city’s inhabitants gathered in the Church of Blachernae to pray to God for protection from their enemies.

During the service, the Mother of God miraculously appeared in the church and, as a sign of her protection over Constantinople, spread her veil over those praying. Through the intercession of the Queen of Heaven, the city was saved, and the enemy fled in fear from the walls of Constantinople.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolitan District were: 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 Almaty; Archimandrite Geronty (Borisevich); Archimandrite Joseph (Eremenko), Head of the Diocesan Department for the Canonization of Saints; Archpriest Alexander Suvorov, Dean of the Ascension Cathedral and Head of the Metropolitan District’s Public Relations Department; Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary and Head of the Metropolitan District’s Information and Publishing Department; Abbot Alexy (Nesmeyev); Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek), Personal Secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District; Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Andrei Pleten; Hierodeacon Sofony (Mazurenko); Deacon John Zhuchkov; and Deacon Georgy Tkachenko.

Praying at the service were: O. N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan and Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation; members of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; students of the Almaty Theological Seminary; teachers and pupils of the Sunday schools of the Southern Capital; and parishioners of the principal church of Almaty.

The liturgical hymns were sung by the male choir of the Ascension Cathedral, conducted by Abbot Philip (Moiseyev), and the small choir, conducted by E. Boguslavets.

The sermon after the Communion Verse was delivered by Archimandrite Joseph (Eremenko).

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a service of glorification was celebrated before the icon of the Protection of the Mother of God.

Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the clergy and laity on the great feast of the Theotokos and delivered a sermon explaining the significance of the celebration.

His Eminence sprinkled those present with holy water.

The service was filmed by Semirechye, the television studio of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, directed by V. L. Posadneva, Honoured Worker of Culture (YouTube channel: Semirechye). Photographs were taken by A. Khalin, a member of the Information Department.

“In the life of the Church of Christ, in the historical destinies of countries and peoples, in the lives of the holy servants of God, and in the life of every believer, we can discern the saving power of the Most Holy Theotokos. Chosen from among all mankind, she became the Mother of the Saviour and forever the source of divine gifts for the entire universe. St. Gregory the Theologian says: ‘To each of the elect grace is given in part, but to the Virgin the fullness of grace.’

“As we celebrate and glorify the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, singing hymns of prayer and lighting candles, we must remember that the finest praise we can offer the Mother of God is a life lived according to the commandments of the Gospel.

“‘Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it’ (John 2:5), the Mother of the Saviour said to those attending the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee. She addresses these words to each of us, calling upon us to listen to the Lord Jesus Christ and fulfil His commandments.

“Venerable John of Damascus reminds us that the Mother of God ‘grieves and sorrows over every evil, and rejoices in every virtue as though it were her own gift.’ Being not only the Mother of Christ but also His faithful disciple, she expects us, too, to hear the word of God and keep it (cf. Luke 11:28).”

From Metropolitan Alexander’s sermon.