The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan Undertakes a Pilgrimage to the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra

On November 11, 2024, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan made a pilgrimage to the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad. Accompanying the head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were Hegumen Agafangel (Gagua), Vice-Rector of the Almaty Theological Seminary, Candidate of Theology, Doctor of Medicine, and Professor; Hieromonk Antony (Drobyazko), sacristan of the Representation Church of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan in Moscow dedicated to the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Charity, and their Mother Sophia; and Assistant S.V. Sokolov.

Upon arrival, Metropolitan Alexander prayed before the ancient icon of the Holy Trinity, painted by St. Andrei Rublev in the early 15th century, and the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the Abbot of the Russian Land, housed in the Trinity Cathedral. The hierarch also venerated many sacred relics stored in the Serapion Chamber and the Nikon Side Chapel, including relics of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the Protomartyr Archdeacon Stephen, a fragment of the Robe of the Theotokos, a stone from the Holy Sepulcher, and the head of St. Isaiah of Rostov.

The archpastor offered fervent prayers for the bishops, clergy, monastics, and laity of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan and for peace and prosperity in the region.

During his visit to the Lavra, Metropolitan Alexander met with Archimandrite Makary (Veretennikov), a resident of the monastery, professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, member of the Synodal Liturgical Commission, and noted church historian. The primary focus of their discussion was honoring the memory of Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), a prominent confessor and ascetic of the 20th century, venerated by many in Kazakhstan, Russia, and beyond. In his youth, Archimandrite Makary was spiritually guided by Metropolitan Joseph while living in Karaganda and later published collections of the elder’s homiletic and epistolary legacy, along with his memoirs.

Metropolitan Alexander informed Archimandrite Makary about efforts to establish a house-museum dedicated to Metropolitan Joseph in Almaty, planned to open in 2025 to mark the 50th anniversary of his passing. For the museum, Father Makary entrusted Metropolitan Alexander with books from Metropolitan Joseph’s personal library, preserved since the elder’s death. These volumes hold particular value due to the annotations made by the Kazakh elder on their flyleaves.

The Metropolitan invited Archimandrite Makary to participate in preparing for the upcoming jubilee celebrations and the organization of exhibits for Metropolitan Joseph’s memorial house.

For his efforts to preserve the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Metropolis of Kazakhstan, the archpastor awarded Archimandrite Makary with the high ecclesiastical honor of the Order of Venerable Confessor Sebastian (of Karaganda).

Historical Note: Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra

Founded in 1337 by St. Sergius of Radonezh on Makovets Hill, about 70 kilometers northeast of Moscow, the Lavra is one of the most revered pan-Orthodox shrines and a major center of spiritual enlightenment and culture. Over the centuries, numerous saints of the Russian Orthodox Church lived and labored within its walls, including St. Nikon of Radonezh, St. Maximus the Greek, and revered spiritual writers such as St. Epiphanius the Wise and St. Pachomius the Logothete. Among the Lavra’s spiritual leaders were Metropolitans Filaret (Drozdov) and Innocent (Veniaminov) of Moscow, and the Holy Martyr Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky).

The Lavra endured a siege by a thirty-thousand-strong Polish-Lithuanian army from 1608-1610 but held strong. Since 1688, the monastery has been stavropegial. In 1744, it was designated as a Lavra. The Moscow Theological Academy, originally founded in Moscow in 1685, relocated to the Lavra in 1814 and remains a prominent center of Orthodox theological education. After closing in 1920, the Lavra reopened in 1946.

In 1993, the Lavra’s architectural ensemble was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The “Holy Trinity” icon, painted by St. Andrei Rublev for the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral, exemplifies Christian teachings on the Triune God. It has been recognized as a model of iconography since the 16th century. After nearly a century in the State Tretyakov Gallery, the icon was returned to the Lavra for temporary veneration in 2022 and formally transferred back in 2023 following a historic agreement.