May 8, 2026. Alma-Ata. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, a presentation of the Kazakh translation of the Liturgikon was held in the cathedral hall attached to the principal church of the Southern Capital.
The book contains the order of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in Church Slavonic with a parallel translation into Kazakh. The edition has been produced in full accordance with the traditional Church Slavonic Liturgikon: the text is printed in large type and the format of the volume is convenient for liturgical use.
The book is intended for clergy, students of Orthodox theological schools, and all who wish to encounter the richness of the Orthodox liturgical tradition in the Kazakh language.
The initiative for publishing the liturgical book in Kazakh under the auspices of the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan belongs to Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and to the president of the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim,” V.M. Kapsamun.
For a year and a half, translator of the Astana Diocese and ethnic Kazakh Priest Elisey Kukeev, linguist I. Smagulova, and a group of specialists labored on the translation.
A significant contribution to the realization of the project was made by: Head of the Public Relations Department of the Metropolitan District Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; staff members of the Publishing Department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; and the administration and faculty members of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary headed by its rector, Candidate of Theology Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.
The event, chaired by Metropolitan Alexander, was attended by: Chancellor of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen; vicars of the Astana Diocese Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan and Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Honored Artist of Russia, member of the Church-Public Council under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ for the Development of Church Singing, conductor of the metropolitan choir, and Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District O.N. Ovchinnikov; Dean of the churches of Alma-Ata and rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Head of the Diocesan Commission for the Canonization of Saints Archimandrite Joseph (Eremenko); Chairman of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Metropolitan District and rector of the Protection Church of the Southern Capital Archpriest Evgeny Bobylev; Head of the Public Relations Department of the Metropolitan District and dean of Ascension Cathedral of Alma-Ata Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; Head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Metropolitan District and rector of the Alma-Ata Orthodox Theological Seminary Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov; secretary to the metropolitan Hieromonk Dimitry (Baidek); Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District Priest Georgy Sidorov; and Head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin.
The honored guests of the presentation were: Head of the Department for Religious Affairs of the city of Alma-Ata N.M. Kikimov and president of the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim” V.M. Kapsamun.
Among those present were rectors and clergy of the churches of the Southern Capital; professors and students of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary; and staff members of the “Eleos-Meirim” foundation.
The presentation was opened with an address by Metropolitan Alexander. “Today we are becoming participants in a special event in the spiritual, cultural, and intellectual life of Kazakhstan. By the feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, the implementation of a large-scale project has been completed: for the first time in the history of Orthodoxy in Kazakhstan, a translation into the modern literary Kazakh language of one of the principal liturgical books of the Orthodox Church – the Liturgikon – has been published. The edition contains the order of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, which is celebrated on most days of the year. Today we are presented with the results of a very difficult and painstaking work that has been carried out over many months. It is impossible to produce a high-quality translation without relying upon the culture of the people, their traditional values, and their understanding of God, the world, and the human person. The Kazakh language – one of the richest and most expressive languages in the world – is a precious part of the ancient and multifaceted culture of the Kazakh people. The new translation of the sacred texts presented today was prepared by ecclesiastical and secular bearers of Kazakh culture and the Kazakh language, taking into account modern linguistic norms and standards. The specialists employed the full range of linguistic means in order to convey the beauty and richness of the liturgical texts, their spirit, meaning, and style. I would like to note that the book presented today is only the beginning of a grand undertaking. I hope that, with God’s help, with the support of concerned people, and through the labors of linguists, philologists, and theologians, we will continue and complete the translation of other liturgical books,” the metropolitan noted in particular.
The president of the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim,” V.M. Kapsamun, spoke to those present about the details of the project’s implementation, its relevance, and its spiritual and cultural significance for Kazakhstani society regardless of religious or national affiliation.
Words of greeting were also delivered by the head of the city Department for Religious Affairs, N.M. Kikimov. Nurlan Medsantovich noted the contribution of the Orthodox Church to the strengthening of spiritual and moral values in society and to the preservation of the country’s cultural and historical heritage.
At the conclusion of the presentation, a Byzantine choir under the direction of Schema-monk Damaskinos (Simeonidis), which had arrived from the Holy Mountain Athos at the invitation of the “Eleos-Meirim” foundation, performed Paschal hymns and the Many Years.
In the near future, the book will be distributed to parishes of all dioceses of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.
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