The Head of the Metropolis Celebrated the Liturgy in the Annunciation Cathedral of Pavlodar

October 17, 2024 — Commemoration of the uncovering of the relics of the Holy Hierarchs Gurias, Archbishop of Kazan, and Barsanuphius, Bishop of Tver.

A festive Divine Liturgy was held in the main church of the Pavlodar Diocese — the Annunciation Cathedral in the city of Pavlodar, on the occasion of the bringing of the reliquary with the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow.

The service was led by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan. He was concelebrated by Archbishop Barnabas of Pavlodar and Ekibastuz, the vicar of the Astana Diocese, Bishop Benjamin of Talgar; the rector of the Church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in Almaty, Protopriest Evgeny Vorobyev; the Dean of the Christ-Nativity Church in Pavlodar, Protopriest Konstantin Kutasevich; the Secretary of the Pavlodar Diocese and Dean of the Pavlodar Church District, Protopriest Alexey Stepanov; the Dean of the Terenkol Church District, Protopriest Vladimir Trubachenko; the Head of the Metropolitan’s Secretariat, Hieromonk Prochor (Endovitsky); the Head of the Diocesan Department for Religious Education and Catechization, Priest Artemy Zhdanov; the cleric of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul at the Convent of the same name in Pavlodar, Priest Alexander Malygin; the cleric of the Iveron-Seraphim Cathedral in Ekibastuz, Priest Anatoly Basalayev; Priest Vasily Tkachuk; Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich; the Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Deacon Ambrose Taukenov; and Deacon John Churkin. 

The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Annunciation Cathedral, under the direction of Elena Yusupzhanova.

Praying during the service were the abbess of the Convent of Saints Peter and Paul in Pavlodar, Nun Seraphima (Bolibok) with the sisters of the convent; members of the Cossacks; students of Sunday schools; parishioners of Pavlodar churches; and pilgrims from surrounding settlements.

During the post-Communion hymn, Priest Artemy Zhdanov read the address of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan on the occasion of the arrival of the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow in Kazakhstan.

At the end of the Liturgy, hymns of praise were sung to the Holy Hierarchs Gurias and Barsanuphius, as well as to Blessed Matrona before the reliquary containing her relics.

Following the dismissal, prayers were offered for many years for His Holiness, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill; the Head and bishops of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan; the President, authorities, military, and all the people of Kazakhstan.

Archbishop Barnabas of Pavlodar thanked Metropolitan Alexander for the spiritual gift to the faithful of the Pavlodar Diocese — the opportunity to venerate the great relics of Orthodoxy, the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow.

The Head of the Metropolis congratulated the hierarchs, clergy, and all participants of the celebration on the bringing of the relics of this greatly revered saint in the Orthodox world to Pavlodar, and addressed the congregation with words of guidance.

After the service, the veneration of the relics of Blessed Matrona began. Residents and guests of Pavlodar, as well as a large number of pilgrims from nearby cities and villages, gathered to offer prayers to this great saint.