The Photo Exhibition “Kostanay Diocese. A New History” Was Opened

October 12, 2025. Kostanay.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, following the festive Liturgy at the Cathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen, a photo exhibition titled “Kostanay Diocese. A New History” was opened on the cathedral square.

The event, organized by the diocesan Information Department, is dedicated to the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Kostanay Diocese.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan took part in the opening of the exhibition.

Present at the exhibition were: Hieromonk Gennady (Burdyuzha), Secretary of the Kostanay Diocese; Protopriest Vasily Korolev, Sacristan of the Cathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen; Igumen Innokenty (Pomogalov), cleric of the diocese’s main cathedral; Protopriest Oleg Kalmykov, Dean of the Lisakovsk Church District and Rector of the Church of St. John of Kronstadt in Lisakovsk; Protopriest Andrey Korchazhnikov, Spiritual Father of the Kostanay Diocese; Igumen Maksim (Boykov), Sacristan of the Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Rudny; Protopriest Vitaly Kleba, cleric of the Cathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen and Dean of the Sarykol Church District; Protopriest Vitaly Gutsan, Sacristan of the Church of St. Nicholas in Kostanay; Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky), Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat; Priest Andrey Krutin, Dean of the Kostanay Church District and Rector of the Kazan Icon Church in Tobyl; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky; Protodeacon Alexander Mokiy; Clergy of the Kostanay Diocese.

His Eminence addressed those gathered with a word of greeting.

Following the address of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Hieromonk Gennady (Burdyuzha) introduced the concept of the exhibition and led a guided tour.

The photographs and banners presented in the exhibition tell the story of the history and contemporary life of the Kostanay Diocese. The stands are decorated with images of newly built churches, the restoration of the Iversky–Petropavlovsky Women’s Monastery, the spiritual, cultural, and administrative center named after Bishop Timon (Rusanov), and the diocesan museum in the city of Tobyl. The photographs also depict the ministry of hierarchs and renowned clergy who labored on the Kostanay land. A part of the exhibition is dedicated to the service of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, who served as temporary Administrator of the diocese – a period marked by active church construction, the revival of the Iversky–Petropavlovsky Monastery, the increase in the number of clergy, and the development of all aspects of church life in Kostanay.

The exhibition will continue through the end of the current year.