A Meeting Took Place in Almaty Between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and the State Counselor of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Y.T. Karin

February 17, 2025. Almaty. A meeting was held at the Administrative and Spiritual-Cultural Center of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and State Counselor of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Erlan Tynymbayevich Karin.

After exchanging greetings, Metropolitan Alexander spoke to Y.T. Karin about the life of the Metropolitan District, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year since its establishment.

The Metropolitan emphasized that one of the priority areas of activity of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan has always been and remains the strengthening of interaction and cooperation between church institutions, state structures, traditional confessions, and public organizations for the sake of peace and well-being of the multiethnic people of the country.

Erlan Tynymbayevich noted that the state continues to systematically work on creating the necessary conditions for strengthening interfaith dialogue. He spoke about the implementation of initiatives by President Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev aimed at strengthening interethnic and interfaith harmony and fostering national values.

One of the main topics of discussion was the preparations for the Primatial Visit of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, who will arrive in Astana to participate in the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, scheduled to take place on September 17-18 of this year.

Metropolitan Alexander invited Erlan Tynymbayevich to visit the Orthodox Spiritual-Cultural Center named after Saints Cyril and Methodius at the Dormition Cathedral in Astana, as well as the Church History Museum of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan. The State Counselor gratefully accepted the invitation.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties exchanged well-wishes for success in their efforts for the benefit of Kazakhstan.

As a keepsake of their discussion, Metropolitan Alexander presented the State Counselor with his scholarly work, “The History of Christianity in Central Asia,” along with the 2025 calendar of the Metropolitan District.