On August 14, 2024, the Feast of the Procession of the Honorable Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, the commemoration of the seven Maccabee martyrs, their mother Solomonia, and their teacher Eleazar, as well as the beginning of the Dormition Fast.
Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan led the Divine Liturgy at the Sophia Cathedral of the Iveron-Seraphim Monastery in Almaty.
Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolitan District were: Archpriest Valery Zakharov, Dean of the Churches of Almaty and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Archimandrite Sergius (Karamyshev), Dean of the Astana Church District; Archpriest Alexander Sokolov; Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan's Personal Secretariat; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Metropolitan District; Priest Georgy Rublinsky, Sacristan of Kazan Cathedral in Almaty; Hieromonk Savva (Kulbakin), Cleric of the Church Compound in honor of the Holy Royal Martyrs; Priest Ioann Konoplev, Sacristan of the Adriano-Natalievsky Church; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan's Protocol Service; Hierodeacon Mitrofan (Ognev), Assistant of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; Deacon Alexander Piven; Deacon Andrey Plahuta; and Deacon Roman Karaman.
In the church during the Liturgy was a holy relic—a recently created icon of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, commissioned by the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander. This icon features the saints standing before the Cross: the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine and Empress Helena, the Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir and Grand Princess Olga, the Righteous Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky, and St. Alexander of Svir. The icon, crafted in the finest traditions of ancient Russian iconography and applied arts, contains reliquaries with particles of the Wood of the Cross, the Life-Giving Tomb, Golgotha, and relics of the depicted saints.
The hymns of the Liturgy were performed by the choir of the Sophia Cathedral under the direction of O. Usoltseva.
Praying in the church were O.N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District and Honored Artist of Russia; Abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina), the superior of the Iveron-Seraphim Women's Monastery, along with the sisters of the monastery; staff of the Almaty Diocesan Administration; and parishioners from the churches of Almaty. The homily after the Communion verse was delivered by Priest Georgy Rublinsky.
The service concluded with a glorification—the clergy sang the Troparion and Kontakion of the Cross of Christ. Following this, in accordance with ancient church tradition, the blessing of honey took place. After reading the prayer "Boundless in mercy and ineffable in compassion, O Lord," Metropolitan Alexander sprinkled the newly harvested honey with holy water.
The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan then addressed the gathered faithful with an archpastoral word, congratulating them on the feast and the beginning of the Dormition Fast.
"With the Feast of the Procession of the Honorable Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, we begin the bright days of the fast dedicated to the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. The merciful Lord, 'who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth' (1 Tim. 2:4), once again grants us this grace-filled time for repentance, giving each of us another opportunity to cleanse ourselves from sins through fasting and prayer, to overcome passions, and to renew our lives according to the Gospel. The physical, material world is created and exists according to its own laws, and likewise, in the spiritual world, the Creator has established unchanging norms and rules that must not be forgotten, ignored, or violated.
Every forgetfulness of God, every evil thought, and every transgression of the commandments, even those that seem insignificant or minor, destroy a person and lead to spiritual ruin. 'The wages of sin is death' (Romans 6:23), says the Apostle Paul. Our world is increasingly sinking into spiritual darkness—actions and behaviors that once provoked societal condemnation are now becoming commonplace. People no longer feel ashamed of their harsh words and cruelty, they flaunt immoral behavior, and proudly mock moral purity and family values. The consequences of turning away from God and disregarding His laws are evident—social unrest, military conflicts, economic crises, and widespread epidemics. It is the sin of humanity, and nothing else, that is the cause of various calamities and disasters.
The Holy Scripture warns us: "Bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Corinthians 15:33). We ourselves sin greatly and daily encounter spiritual darkness in its various forms—both overt and hidden. Therefore, prayer and fasting are vital for us, for as the Savior says, these practices drive out every evil from the human heart and mind, overcoming the forces of impurity that assault the soul. Let us not postpone repentance to some indefinite future; let us begin the struggle against vices and falsehoods within ourselves, restrain our passions through self-control, and open the doors of God's mercy through active love for our neighbors. The Fathers and teachers of the Church instruct us that by freeing ourselves from the bondage of passions, we cleanse those around us from sinful defilements; by ascending in virtue toward Heaven, we help those near us to rise spiritually; and by sincerely praying, especially by participating in the Holy Eucharist, we sanctify the universe with grace.
The Dormition Fast has a special character—it is a time for our gratitude and fervent prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos. Each of us, as we glorify the Queen of Heaven and Earth, the Sovereign Lady, must especially feel and understand during these days the power of Her maternal intercession and the greatness of Her love for the human race. To be a Christian means to follow Christ and to courageously and patiently bear our cross. But we are not alone on this life’s journey: the Most Pure Mother of God is always with us. Her help and joy are always with those who seek God and salvation, who seek to meet Her, who empathize with their neighbors and bring them comfort with compassionate words, good advice, and helpful deeds. May the Creator and Giver of all blessings, through the prayers of the Queen of Heaven, who in Her Dormition did not forsake the world, grant us the grace to walk the bright path of the fast with benefit for ourselves and others, to not grow weary in diligence, to be fervent in spirit, and to serve the Lord (Romans 12:11)." From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.
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