On August 15, 2024, the feast of the translation of the relics of the Protomartyr Archdeacon Stephen from Jerusalem to Constantinople, and the commemoration day of Blessed Basil, Fool for Christ and Wonderworker of Moscow.
Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Trinity Church of the Nativity Cathedral in Almaty.
Concelebrating with the Head of the Metropolia were: the Dean of Almaty churches and Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Archpriest Valery Zakharov; the sacristan of the Nativity Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Gaychenya; the Chairman of the Society of Orthodox Physicians of Kazakhstan, Archpriest Anatoly Izmerov; the Rector of the Spaso-Siluana Issyk Hermitage, Igumen Nazary (Markov); the head of the Metropolitan’s personal secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); the acting Dean of the Talgar Church District and Rector of St. Nicholas Church in Talgar, Priest Kirill Freigang; cleric of St. Nicholas Church in Talgar, Priest Yakov Klimov; the sacristan of the Kazan Cathedral in Almaty, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; the cleric of the Nativity Church of the southern capital, Priest Maxim Idrisov; the sacristan of the Adriano-Natalia Church, Priest Ioann Konoplev; the head of the Metropolitan’s protocol service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; the Chief Physician of the Orthodox Medical Center named after St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky), Deacon Alexander Dzhodzhua; Hierodeacon Stefan (Popov); Deacon Alexander Piven; and Deacon Vitaly Rynhach.
For the prayerful comfort of the faithful, a precise replica of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Healer" and a stone from the place of the martyrdom of St. Stephen were brought to the church for the service. On a part of the stone, an image of Christ's martyr was painted by the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, S.N. Sokolov.
The choir of the Christ the Savior Church in Almaty, directed by E. Skorova, sang during the service.
After the Cherubic Hymn, Metropolitan Alexander performed the priestly ordination of Deacon Vitaly Rynhach, a cleric of St. Nicholas Church in Talgar.
The sermon after the communion hymn was delivered by Father Maxim Idrisov.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, hymns of praise were sung to the Most Holy Theotokos and Archdeacon Stephen, after which the archpastor addressed the faithful with a word of edification.
At the conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated Hierodeacon Stephen (Popov), a cleric of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral, on his name day, and Father Kirill Freigang on the anniversary of his birth. The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan presented the clergymen with holy prosphora, wishing them God's grace, spiritual and physical health, and dedicated service to the Church of Christ.
"Scripture and the Tradition of the Orthodox Church have preserved for us the precious testimonies of the life and martyrdom of Saint Stephen, the Protomartyr and Archdeacon. Saint Stephen, one of the Seventy Apostles, was the foremost among the seven deacons appointed by the apostles themselves, which is why he is called the Archdeacon. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, Saint Stephen boldly preached the Gospel, confirming the truth of his words with signs and miracles. The success of his preaching was so evident that it aroused the hatred of the enemy of mankind – the devil.
The spirit of malice clouded the minds of people, and the persecutors of Christ and His Church seized Saint Stephen, dragging him outside the walls of Jerusalem to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where they stoned him to death. At a distance, on the Mount of Olives, the Most Pure Mother of God stood on a stone with the Apostle John the Theologian. Watching Stephen's martyrdom, she fervently prayed to her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, asking Him to strengthen the martyr in his endurance and to receive his soul in peace. As stones rained down upon him, Stephen saw the Lord in the heavens, looking upon his death. In the midst of terrible suffering, covered in blood, the holy Archdeacon 'prayed and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"' (Acts 7:59), and, kneeling down, he loudly offered his final prayer for his killers: 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them!' (Acts 7:60).
Before Saint Archdeacon Stephen, no one had shed blood as a testimony for Christ. However, throughout history, he has been followed by countless others—passion-bearers, confessors, and martyrs. The apostolic word teaches that the greatest divine gift is not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for Him. Since the time of Saint Stephen, persecutions against the Church of Christ have been raised repeatedly by the world lying in wickedness. The Savior Himself said: 'If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you' (John 15:20). The Orthodox Church was subjected to particularly severe persecutions in the 20th century. Our Kazakh land is richly soaked with the blood of the new martyrs and confessors, who are now holy intercessors and advocates before God. Today, the time has come 'to gather stones together' (Ecclesiastes 3:5).
And we are witnesses to how, as a sign of repentance for the apostasy of our ancestors, of reconciliation between the earth and Heaven, between man and God, here on the Kazakh land, the desecrated holy places are being restored, and new beautiful churches of God are being created, where the Bloodless Sacrifice is offered 'for all and for everything,' and prayers are raised to the Throne of God for the salvation of our souls, for the peace of the whole world, for our God-protected country. Today, there is no persecution for faith, but every Christian requires much love and patience to protect themselves and their loved ones from the corrupting influence of sins and vices. We draw the blessed strength for this spiritual struggle from our unity with the saints and the righteous, with God's chosen ones, with the martyrs for Christ—both ancient and new."
—From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.
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