Metropolitan Alexander Leads the Patronal Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos Church in the Akzhar District

On September 21, 2024, the Twelve Great Feast of the Nativity of our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos, and Ever-Virgin Mary was celebrated.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos in the Akzhar district of Almaty, which was marking its patronal feast.

Serving alongside the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: the dean of Almaty parishes, rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, mitred Archpriest Valery Zakharov; rector of the Nativity of the Theotokos Church in the Akzhar district, Hieromonk Alexy (Cherevtsov); personal secretary to the Metropolitan, Hieromonk Prochor (Yendovitsky); head of the administrative secretariat of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; dean of Kazan Cathedral in Almaty, Priest Georgy Rublinsky; Hieromonk Kheruvim (Lyovin); Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, head of the Metropolitan's protocol service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Deacon Andrey Ivashinin; Deacon Sergy Slesarchuk; and Deacon Ioann Zhuchkov.

The hymns of the Liturgy were sung by the parish choir under the direction of V. Alferov. In attendance at the service were the Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolis, Honored Artist of Russia, and member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Church Singing, O. N. Ovchinnikov, along with parishioners of the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos and faithful from surrounding areas.

Following the Cherubic Hymn, Metropolitan Alexander performed the priestly ordination of Deacon Sergiy Slesarchuk, a cleric of the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty. 

The post-Communion homily was delivered by Priest Georgiy Sidorov. 

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, a service of glorification (Slavlenie) for the feast was held, during which the clergy, choir, and faithful sang the troparion, kontakion, and magnification of the Nativity of the Theotokos.

The head of the Kazakhstan Metropolis extended his heartfelt congratulations to all those present on the occasion of the patronal feast and delivered a sermon.

Protopriest Valeriy Zakharov, on behalf of the clergy and faithful, congratulated the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan on the anniversary of his monastic tonsure. Thirty-five years ago, Archbishop Khrysanf (Chepil; + January 4, 2011) of Kirov and Slobodskoy (later, from 2004, Metropolitan of Vyatka and Slobodskoy), in the house chapel of the episcopal residence dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" in the city of Kirov, performed the monastic tonsure of the future Kazakh hierarch, giving him the name Alexander in honor of St. Alexander of Svir.

At the conclusion of the service, His Eminence, in recognition of their support for social and charitable projects of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, awarded the Order and Medal of the Kazakhstan Metropolis "Saint Luke the Healer, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea" to: N. D. Plokhikh, Executive Director of the public fund for supporting cancer patients "Healthy Asia" and founder of the first children's hospice in Kazakhstan, "I'm With You."- O. V. Kudryavtseva, a social worker at the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos in the southern capital. 

"Today, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos - the beginning of the great and incomprehensible mystery of the Incarnation and our salvation. At the dawn of time, our forebears sinned by breaking God’s commandment and partaking of the forbidden fruit. Yet, the Lord did not abandon humanity without hope - Adam and his wife were given a comforting promise that 'the seed of the woman will crush the serpent’s head' (cf. Gen. 3:15), foretelling that salvation would come to mankind in a miraculous way, and the dominion of sin and death would be destroyed. For millennia, humanity awaited the coming of the Savior with longing. The mystery of salvation gradually unfolded in the Old Testament through prefigurations, prophecies, and visions - the 'ladder of Jacob,' the 'burning bush,' the 'Ark of the Covenant,' and 'Gideon’s fleece.' One of the clearest revelations came from the prophet Isaiah, the evangelist of the Old Testament, who foretold, 'Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel' (Isa. 7:14). The gift of the Holy Virgin was not given immediately to a world wearied by sin. She appeared as the fruit of the centuries-long history of God’s chosen people, the fruit of the spiritual striving and feats of the best of its representatives. As the times of the Old Testament drew to a close, the moment came for this Divine and most pure Vessel - the Virgin Theotokos - to be revealed to the world. As Tradition tells us, the Most Holy Virgin was of the lineage of King David. Her devout parents, Joachim and Anna, lived in Nazareth, a small town west of the Sea of Galilee. They were known for their righteousness, not for their royal lineage, and were humble and merciful. Yet one sorrow troubled their pure souls-they had no children even into old age. This grief was deeply felt, for at that time, childlessness was viewed as a punishment from God for sin. Despite their advanced years, Joachim and Anna continued to fervently ask God for a child, promising to dedicate any child born to them to the service of the Lord. For their patience, great faith, love for God, and love for each other, the Lord granted them immense joy-the birth of a Daughter, whom the overjoyed parents named Mary. The birth of Mary brought joy not only to her parents but to all humanity, for it was ordained by Divine Providence that she would become the Mother of the Son of God, the Savior of the world. The Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos teaches us to hold the Most Blessed Virgin Mary in special reverence as the source and intercessor of our salvation. Having served the mystery of the Incarnation, the Theotokos became, for all time, the Mother, the fervent Intercessor, and the warm Advocate and Prayerful Mediatrix for all Christians before the Throne of the Almighty. The example of the Virgin’s parents-their fervent prayer, patience, and humility-encourages us to steadfast faith and trust in the mercy of God." - From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.