Head of the Metropolitan District Blesses Newly Erected Crosses at the Necropolis of the Kazan Cathedral in Almaty

November 4, 2026. Almaty. On the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, following the Divine Liturgy at the Kazan Cathedral, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, blessed newly erected stone crosses at the necropolis of the oldest church in the southern capital, where clergy and monastics of the Almaty Diocese are buried.

The hierarchs, clergy, parishioners and pilgrims proceeded in a procession of the cross to the altar end of the Cathedral, where a memorial litany was served.

Among those praying at the service 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 Almaty Church District and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral; and clergy of the churches of Almaty.

At the conclusion of the memorial litany, the Head of the Metropolitan District read the prayer for the blessing of the grave crosses and sprinkled them with holy water.

V.M. Kapsamun, President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation, attended the blessing ceremony.

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.

The newly erected marble crosses and gravestones for the necropolis of the Kazan Cathedral were made through the efforts of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation. Each memorial bears an image of the Crucifixion of the Saviour, with the Most Holy Theotokos and St. John the Theologian standing beside the Cross. Beneath this image is a depiction of the saint who is the heavenly patron of the person buried there. The gravestones are engraved with the words of the kontakion for the departed: “With the saints give rest, O Christ…”

The renewal of the gravestones continues the efforts of benefactors of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan to improve the grounds of Almaty’s oldest church and preserve the historical memory of the Almaty Diocese.

The new crosses have initially been installed at the burial sites of clergymen who served as pastors in the southern capital at various times. A complete restoration of the church necropolis is planned for the future.