Participants in the Bringing of the Relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow Celebrated the Liturgy at the St. Sebastian and Magdalene Church in the Capital of Northern Kazakhstan

November 2, 2024 – the commemoration day of Great Martyr Artemius of Antioch and Righteous Child Artemius of Verkola; Dimitri Memorial Saturday.

A Divine Liturgy was held at the St. Sebastian and Magdalene Church in the city of Petropavlovsk to mark the arrival of the reliquary containing the relics of Blessed Matrona of Moscow.

The service was led by Archbishop Vladimir of Petropavlovsk and Bulayevo, with co-celebrants including Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, vicar of the Astana Diocese; Diocesan Secretary Protopriest Sergiy Perushin; Dean of the Beskol Church District Protopriest Dimitriy Zhulsarin; Dean of the Mamlyut Church District Priest Yevgeniy Stolyarov; Priest Georgiy Petrov, keyholder of St. Sebastian and Magdalene Church; Hieromonk Dalmat (Prokhorov); Priest Alexiy Gavrilov; Protodeacon Alexander Mokiy; Deacon Vladimir Bartol; Deacon Alexiy Alexandrovich; and Deacon Rustik Yakupov.

The archbishop’s choir, directed by A.A. Zatay, sang the liturgical hymns.

During the service, fervent prayers were offered for the repose of the departed hierarchs of Kazakhstan, leaders, and soldiers who laid down their lives for faith and country, those martyred during the severe persecutions by atheists, those who perished from hunger, cold, wounds, illness, and burdensome labor, and for all Orthodox Christians who lived and piously departed on the land of Kazakhstan.

After the Liturgy, Archbishop Vladimir delivered a sermon on the importance of commemorating the departed, followed by a memorial service (panikhida) for all “Orthodox Christians who have reposed from ages past until this day.”