Meeting of Metropolitan Alexander with Y.A. Chikhanchin, Head of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of Russia

March 28, 2025. Astana. The Assumption Cathedral and the Spiritual and Cultural Center of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan named after the Equals-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius were visited by the Director of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of Russia, Yuri Anatolyevich Chikhanchin.

The Head of Rosfinmonitoring was accompanied by: Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation N.V. Parshikova; General Director of the International Training and Methodology Center for Financial Monitoring I.A. Uvarov; and employees of Rosfinmonitoring.

The meeting was attended by: Dean of the parishes of the capital, Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev); Sacristan of the Assumption Cathedral of Astana, Hieromonk Dimitry (Baydek); and the Head of International Humanitarian Projects of Rossotrudnichestvo, T.V. Zubkova.

Yuri Anatolyevich, together with his delegation, visited the Assumption Cathedral, where they were greeted by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev). His Eminence gave a tour of the cathedral, speaking about the construction and beautification of the church; about the murals on the walls and vaults carried out by a team of isographer masters from the city of Palekh (Ivanovo region, Russia); about the carved and gilded iconostasis and icon cases created by the craftsmen of the artistic workshop named after Theodore Stratelates (Kostroma, Russia) in the traditions of the 17th century; and about the icons painted by the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, S.N. Sokolov. The hierarch emphasized that the main cathedral of the Kazakh capital has been visited by prominent state, religious, and public figures, including Primates and hierarchs of Orthodox Churches, leaders of traditional confessions, presidents of countries, and heads of governments.

Before the holy relics of the cathedral, members of the delegation lit candles.

The guests then visited the Spiritual and Cultural Center of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan named after the Equals-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. The hierarch spoke about the educational and youth projects carried out within the walls of the Center; he showed the chapel in honor of the Astana-Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, the assembly hall, the Synod meeting room of the Metropolitan District, and the classrooms of the Sunday school. Representatives of the Russian government viewed the exhibitions of the Museum of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan and left entries in the guestbook.

The conversation between the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and the Director of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of Russia, Y.A. Chikhanchin, continued in the fireplace hall of the Spiritual and Cultural Center.

During the meeting, His Eminence informed the delegation about the life of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan, presenting statistical data concerning the number of dioceses, parishes, and clergy, and spoke of the Synod’s plans for the implementation of educational, cultural, youth, and social projects.

Yuri Anatolyevich congratulated the hierarch on the 15th anniversary of his service as Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

His Eminence informed the distinguished guests about the upcoming Primatial visit to Kazakhstan of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, who will arrive in Astana at the invitation of the Head of State, K.-Zh.K. Tokayev, to participate in the VIII Congress of World and Traditional Religions.

The Director of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service, Y.A. Chikhanchin, presented the hierarch with a commemorative edition of the pre-revolutionary historian I.N. Bozheryanov’s book The Romanovs: 300 Years of Service to Russia.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, the parties exchanged wishes for health and success in their labors. The Head of the Metropolitan District presented the honored guest with a commemorative desk medal depicting the Assumption Cathedral, his own work The History of Christianity in Central Asia, the 2025 calendar of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, and a book-album dedicated to the spiritual and cultural jewel of Semirechye — the Ascension Cathedral of Almaty, its construction history, and the full-scale scientific restoration, which President K.-Zh.K. Tokayev called “the second birth of a national Kazakhstani shrine.”