Award Ceremony for Winners of Orthodox Competitions Held in Almaty

April 27, 2025 – Almaty. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, a Paschal Festival was held on the grounds of the Iveron–Seraphim Monastery.

As part of the celebration, an award ceremony took place for the winners of the 2nd All-Kazakhstan Orthodox Readers’ Competition titled “In the Beginning Was the Word…”.

The ceremony was presided over by Protopriest Alexander Suvorov, Head of the Department for Public Relations of the Metropolis and Sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral, with the blessing of the Metropolitan.

Winners of the competition, selected by secret vote of the jury, were as follows:

Category: Professional Church Readers

First Degree Laureates:

• S. A. Voroshilova (Church of Saint Xenia, Konaev)

Second Degree Laureates:

• E. V. Rachinskaya (Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Akzhar, Almaty)
• A. N. Paramonova (Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Pervomaisky, Almaty)
• A. A. Novokovsky (Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky, Almaty)

Third Degree Laureates:

• S. V. Tairova and V. G. Isakov (Church of Christ the Savior, Almaty)

Category: Sunday School Pupils

First Degree Laureates:

• V. S. Demidov and T. A. Muraev (Sunday School of the Church of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, Almaty)
• S. D. Bykova and P. A. Mamotenko (Sunday School of the Ascension Cathedral, Almaty)

Second Degree Laureates:

• I. V. Ershova and V. S. Uvarov (Sunday School of the Church of Saint Alexander Nevsky, Almaty)
• E. A. Popova and I. D. Bykov (Sunday School of the Ascension Cathedral, Almaty)
• M. V. Stikhina and I. N. Batalov (Sunday School of the Church of the Apostle John the Theologian, Almaty)
• N. A. Morozov (Sunday School of the Church of the Prophet Elijah, Zharkent)

Third Degree Laureates:

• V. A. Kriventsova (Sunday School of the Church of Christ the Savior, Almaty)
• D. D. Dolya (Sunday School of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Almaty)

Jury members received letters of appreciation from the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, presented by Father Alexander.

On the same day, the results of the “Paschal Bell Chimes” festival were announced. The festival took place from April 24–27 on the belfries of four churches in Almaty: the Churches of Saint Nicholas, Holy Wisdom (Sofia), Nativity of Christ, and Saint Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Participants included bell-ringers from churches in Almaty and the Almaty Region.

Letters of appreciation were presented to:

Nun Alexandra (Knyazeva), Nun Elisabeth (Zakharova), and subdeacon I. Anfimov – Holy Wisdom Cathedral of the Iveron–Seraphim Monastery, Almaty

• P. Milovanov and A. Yasakov – Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Almaty
• M. Kadyraqunova and K. Lysenko – Ascension Cathedral, Almaty
• D. A. Saenko and M. D. Makeev – Church of Saints Adrian and Natalia, Otegen Batyr settlement
• K. Murashov, A. Golovin, O. Shundik, K. Kharlova, K. Kurakina – Church of Christ the Savior, Almaty
• V. Kolchin – Church of Holy Confessor Nicholas, Metropolitan of Almaty (Irgeli district, Almaty)
• G. Rybak – Church of Saint Demetrios of Thessaloniki, Baiserke, Almaty Region

All winners and prize recipients were awarded certificates, prizes, and commemorative gifts by Protopriest Alexander Suvorov. In his closing remarks, he thanked the organizers and wished them God’s help in their continued service to the Church and the upbringing of children.

The event concluded with a group photograph.