Album “The House-Museum of the Confessor of the Faith and Ascetic of Piety Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov) of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan” Published

April 24, 2026. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the publishing department of the Metropolitan District has prepared and released the album “The House-Museum of the Confessor of the Faith and Ascetic of Piety Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov) of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan.”

The publication is dedicated to a historically and spiritually significant date – the 50th anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Joseph and the opening of the memorial house, which took place on Bright Tuesday, April 14 of the current year.

The idea of creating the album belongs to Metropolitan Alexander. The project was implemented with the support of the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim” (President – V.M. Kapsamun).

The following took part in the preparation of the book: Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District; Priest Georgy Sidorov, head of the administrative secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Priest Kirill Konoplev, deputy head of the Information and Publishing Department; Priest Vladislav Pashkov; designer Deacon Ilya Vorobyev; proofreader Tatyana Biryukova; photographers Andrey Khalin and Alexey Shcheglov; museum curator Maksim Ivashko.

The edition contains both unique archival images and photographs of exhibits – liturgical vestments and personal belongings of the confessor of the faith, icons, church utensils, and old books.

In the introductory foreword opening the book, Metropolitan Alexander states:

In his life, Metropolitan Joseph endured several arrests, suffered abuse at the hands of the Gestapo, and spent more than twenty years in camps and prisons. Following the Apostle Paul, he could repeat: “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus” (Gal. 6:17). Physical weakness, pain in his hands and feet for the rest of his life became an indelible mark of the sufferings he endured. The archpastor knew how to forgive; he preserved sincere benevolence. According to contemporaries, he treated every person who came to him as a living image of God, thereby elevating that person to a spiritual height. Bishop Arsenius, when tonsuring the future hierarch into the mantle, said to him: “As the righteous Joseph fed all the people of Israel, so you must feed all.” This testament of his spiritual father Metropolitan Joseph carried throughout his entire life, nourishing his flock with the incorruptible words of the Gospel and generously giving alms to those in need. Because of this special attitude of the archpastor toward people, both clergy and representatives of authority, Orthodox Christians and members of other religions, the simple and the learned alike were drawn to him. Many recollections of his spiritual insight and great power of prayer have been preserved. For Metropolitan Joseph there was no distinction between important and secondary matters in his pastoral labors, for in every aspect of his ministry he perceived the highest meaning and a connection with the mysteries of God’s providence. Having venerated the Most Holy Theotokos from his youth, he was granted to pass into eternal life precisely during the days of the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, as a faithful servant of Her Divine Son. By word and deed Metropolitan Joseph taught believers the saving path. In one of his sermons he defined the purpose of man in this world: “Christ constantly radiated love and mercy, and we must constantly sow around us kindness, goodness, and compassion. Christ raised the dead, and we must make every effort to awaken and revive the sleeping souls of our neighbors.” Eternal and grateful memory to Metropolitan Joseph of Kazakhstan – hierarch, confessor, and righteous man.