Students and Teachers of the Central Sunday School Make a Pilgrimage to the Aksai Skete of Sts. Seraphim and Theognostus

October 29, 2026. Almaty Region. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, a group of students and teachers from the Central Sunday School made a pilgrimage to the Aksai Skete of Sts. Seraphim and Theognostus.

The event was held with the support of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation (President - V.M. Kapsamun).

The young pilgrims were welcomed by the abbot of the skete, Hegumen Tryphon (Pechkovsky). The children and their teachers venerated the holy relics of the Hieromartyrs Seraphim (Bogoslovsky) and Theognostus (Pivovarov), which repose in the skete’s church.

Hieromonk Eulogius (Shcherbak) celebrated a service of supplication at the former burial site of the hieromartyrs. The pilgrims joined in singing the hymns of the service.

The students listened with great interest as their guide, Anna Belimova, spoke about the lives and spiritual struggles of the Hieromartyrs Seraphim and Theognostus and the history of monasticism in Kazakhstan.

The children admired the beauty of the surrounding nature and enjoyed hot tea made with mountain herbs, prepared by the brethren of the skete.

The pilgrimage concluded with a commemorative group photograph.