Delegation of the Almaty Theological Seminary Visited Holy Sites and Landmarks of the Republic of Uzbekistan

From June 28 to July 3, 2025, with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, representatives of the administration and students of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary visited the holy sites and landmarks of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The group included: Vice-Rector for Educational Work of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, Priest Ioann Livinsky; Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the Seminary, Priest Petr Bakhtiyarov; and students of the theological school who had distinguished themselves through diligence in their studies, exemplary behavior, and active participation in seminary life.

Upon arriving in the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the delegation visited the Assumption Cathedral, where they served a prayer service “Before the Beginning of Any Good Work” and venerated the relics of the main church of Tashkent. The pilgrims then proceeded to the monument of Saint Luke the Surgeon, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea, located on the cathedral square, where they laid flowers at his monument.

On June 30 and July 1, the seminary’s administration and students arrived in the ancient city of Bukhara, where they visited the following historical landmarks: the architectural complex Poi-Kalyan, located by the minaret of the same name on Registan Square; and the Ark Citadel – the former residence of the rulers of Bukhara and the oldest architectural monument in the city.

Continuing their journey, the delegation arrived in the ancient city of Samarkand on July 2, where they toured the following cultural and historical landmarks: the Ulugh Beg Observatory, the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kari Madrasahs, and the Shah-i-Zinda complex.

On the same day, the administration and students of the seminary visited the Mausoleum of Khoja Doniyor, which houses the tomb of the holy Prophet Daniel. The pilgrims offered a glorification to the Prophet of God before his icon, placed at the entrance to the complex. The group then entered the mausoleum and viewed the tomb of the Old Testament righteous one and the ancient pistachio tree near his burial place. In 1996, the ever-memorable Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus’, during his primatial visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan, visited the Mausoleum of Khoja Doniyor in the city of Samarkand and blessed the withered centuries-old pistachio tree, which later miraculously came back to life.

Upon returning to the Southern capital, the members of the delegation met with the rector of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, Protopriest Evgeny Ivanov. The representatives of the administration and the students expressed their gratitude to the rector of the theological school and asked him to convey their appreciation to Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, through whose efforts the cultural and educational trip took place. Protopriest Evgeny Ivanov noted that the visit to the holy sites and landmarks of the Republic of Uzbekistan would serve as an important factor in the spiritual and intellectual development of the students.