Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Metropolitan Alexander Celebrates the Divine Liturgy at Almaty’s Oldest Church on Its Patronal Feast

November 4, 2026 - the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which was marking its patronal feast.

The oldest church in Almaty houses a particularly revered holy object - the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, presented to the parish by the ever-memorable Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov).

The reverse side of the icon bears the following inscription:

“According to the testimony of Soviet archaeologists, this holy icon of the Kazan Mother of God dates from the 17th century. I have treasured it as a precious possession and sacred object, and now present it to the Kazan Church in Almaty as a prayerful remembrance and as a memorial and affirmation of peace within the church, among both the clergy and the laypeople who labour there! Remember this injunction: pray to the Mother of God! July 17, 1967. Almaty. Joseph, Archbishop of Almaty and Kazakhstan.”

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan brought another holy object for the patronal feast - an exact replica, identical in size and appearance, of the ancient wonderworking Kazan Icon preserved in the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers at the Arsk Cemetery in Kazan. This icon was blessed before the revered original in 2016.

The Kazan Cathedral in the southern capital also houses an exact replica, identical in size and appearance, of the Vatican copy of the wonderworking Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Metropolitan Alexander performed the rite of blessing of this replica before the ancient icon in Kazan on October 16, 2021.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolitan District at the patronal feast Liturgy were Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Administrator of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan; Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Astana Diocese; Archpriest Valery Zakharov, Dean of the Churches of Almaty and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Archpriest Evgeny Vorobyov, Rector of the Almaty Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”; Archimandrite Joseph (Eremenko), Head of the Diocesan Department for the Canonization of Saints; Archimandrite Geronty (Borisevich); Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, Rector of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary; Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov, Dean of the Ili Church District; Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek), Secretary to the Head of the Metropolitan District; Hieromonk Gennady (Burdyuzha), Acting Secretary of the Kostanay Diocese; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Priest Georgy Rublinsky, Rector of the Kazan Cathedral; Hieromonk Cherubim (Levin); Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Konstantin Volnyagin; Deacon Rustik Yakupov; Deacon Georgy Tkachenko; and Deacon Daniil Pasyuk.

Staff members of the Almaty Diocesan Administration, parishioners of the Cathedral and Orthodox residents of the southern capital attended the service.

V.M. Kapsamun, President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation, was a guest at the celebration.

The liturgical hymns were sung by the combined choir of St. Nicholas and Kazan Cathedrals in Almaty, conducted by O. Solomonova, and the men’s choir of the Almaty Diocese, conducted by Deacon Makary Belitsky.

During the Liturgy, prayers were offered for the repose of Metropolitan Alexander’s spiritual mentor, the ever-memorable Archbishop Meliton (Solovyov) of Tikhvin, who reposed in the Lord on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in 1986. This year marked the 40th anniversary of his repose.

Prayers were also offered in remembrance of the departed builders, benefactors and those who had contributed to the adornment of the church, as well as the clergy and laypeople buried near the altar of the Kazan Cathedral.

Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen delivered the sermon after the Communion verse.

The Liturgy concluded with a service of glorification before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, followed by a procession of the cross. During the procession, a memorial litany was served for those buried in the necropolis near the altar of the oldest church in the southern capital.

The Head of the Metropolitan District sprinkled the newly erected crosses and gravestones over the graves of clergy of the Almaty Diocese with holy water.

Following the procession, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the patronal feast and delivered an address on the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos.

His Eminence sprinkled the faithful with holy water.

Video coverage of the service was provided by Semirechye, the television studio of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan (Director - V.L. Posadneva, Honoured Worker of Culture), for the Semirechye YouTube channel. Photographs were taken by A. Shcheglov.

The entire festive Liturgy was broadcast live on the Proobraz YouTube channel at the initiative and with the support of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation (President - V.M. Kapsamun).

“Of the many icons of the Most Holy Theotokos known in the Russian Orthodox Church, none is as widespread as the Kazan Icon. It is reverently venerated throughout the world, and millions of believers turn their eyes towards it.

“Human life is filled with sorrows, grief and trials, yet for Christian hearts there is always an inexhaustible source of consolation. When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, face hardships or encounter danger, we invariably turn with faith and hope to the prayerful intercession of the Most Pure Mother of God. In response to our petitions and sighs, to the longings of our hearts, She warms our cold hearts with Her maternal love, delivers us from misfortunes and temptations, and guides us towards the eternal Heavenly Kingdom.

“‘The Virgin Mary hears us in every way, for the Mother of Salvation dwells in a place of light, in the land of the living,’ St. John Chrysostom teaches us.

“However, it is important to remember that all the blessings we receive through the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos are bestowed by God and through His grace, invisibly granted to us through the prayers of the Queen of Heaven by means of the icon. The granting of our petitions, the fulfilment of our desires and the realization of our hopes are possible only when our hearts are filled with sincere faith in God and trust in His mercy.

“The Holy Apostle Paul teaches us this: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him’ (Hebrews 11:6).

“The labour of prayer cannot bear fruit without the purification of one’s soul, repentance and the amendment of one’s life. As the great teacher of the Church, St. Gregory the Theologian, said, ‘Just as a cloud obscures the radiance of the sun’s rays, so a sinner who refuses to acknowledge and renounce his sins shuts himself off from the rays of God’s love and the mercy of the Mother of God.’

“Therefore, as we venerate the glorified image of the Queen of Heaven, let us ask the Lord with particular fervour for the forgiveness of our sins, the overcoming of our weaknesses and victory over our passions. Let the principal subject of our petitions and prayers be the acquisition of a virtuous Christian life, of which the Mother of God Herself is a shining example.

“In the words of the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, the Ever-Virgin ‘was always joyful amid persecutions and troubles, was not distressed by need and poverty, did not grow angry with those who insulted Her, but even did good to them; She was meek in prosperity, merciful to the poor and helped them however She could, and was a teacher of piety and every good deed.’

“May the mercy of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos abide with us all.”

From a sermon by Metropolitan Alexander.