A Meeting Was Held in Astana Between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.S. Ashimbayev

On June 3, 2025. Astana. A meeting took place in the Senate of the Republic between the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, and the Chairman of the Senate of the country’s Parliament, Maulen Sagatkhanovich Ashimbayev.

Also present at the meeting were Archimandrite Sergiy (Karamyshev), dean of the capital’s parishes, and M.A. Spotkai, Chief of Staff of the Senate.

Opening the meeting, the Speaker of the Senate thanked Metropolitan Alexander for his significant contribution to strengthening unity and interreligious harmony in Kazakhstan and congratulated him on being awarded the Order of “Dostyq” I degree.

One of the key topics of the meeting was the discussion of the upcoming VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, with the theme – “Dialogue of Religions: Synergy for the Sake of the Future.” Both sides agreed that this major forum is Kazakhstan’s important contribution to the global process of interfaith dialogue and holds a special place in promoting principles of harmony, mutual understanding, and cooperation on the international stage.

Maulen Sagatkhanovich emphasized that the Orthodox Church consistently contributes to strengthening global interreligious dialogue and the development of spiritual diplomacy on the international level, and has been fully supporting the Congress since its inception in Kazakhstan.

A special focus of the discussion between the Senate Speaker and the Head of the Mitropolitan District was the preliminary program of the visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ to the Republic. It is expected that in addition to his participation in the Congress, His Holiness will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on September 21, the Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, in the main church of the country – the Uspensky Cathedral of Astana. He will also visit the site of martyrdom and death of the New Martyrs of the Church of Christ and the mass burial site of the prisoners of the Akmolinsky Camp of Wives of Traitors to the Motherland – “ALZHIR”; meet with Kazakhstani archpastors and government officials; and visit the construction site of a church and spiritual-educational center in honor of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Land of Kazakhstan.

Metropolitan Alexander and M.S. Ashimbayev discussed the implementation of an initiative proposed by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to perpetuate the memory of Orthodox hierarchs, clergy, and laity who suffered for their faith in the territory of present-day Southern Kazakhstan in the 20th century. His Holiness, who is well acquainted with the history of persecutions against Orthodoxy, proposed the construction of a memorial church in Lisya Balka, located in present-day Shymkent. The infamous Lisya Balka became a site of execution and final resting place for thousands of Orthodox Christians. Among them were Metropolitan of Kazan Kirill (Smirnov), Metropolitan Iosif (Petrovykh), Archbishop Aleksey (Orlov), Bishop Yevgeny (Kobranov), many other well-known hierarchs and clergy, and countless ordinary believers.

The Metropolitan informed Maulen Sagatkhanovich about the consecration, on May 11, of a cross and cornerstone in Lisya Balka for the construction of a memorial chapel in honor of the New Martyrs of Chimkent, followed by a working meeting attended by the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Galymovna Balayeva. It was noted that, in accordance with the will of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, K.-Zh.K. Tokayev, to commemorate the innocently slain in Lisya Balka – whose number, according to official data, exceeds 18,000 people – a memorial mosque and an Orthodox chapel will be built this year. Patriarch Kirill is expected to consecrate the newly built chapel and celebrate the first memorial service there in honor of the New Martyrs and in remembrance of the victims of political repression.

The Head of the Mitropolitan District also told the Chairman of the Senate about the implementation of a spiritually and culturally significant project – the construction in Astana of an Orthodox educational center with a church dedicated to All Saints of Kazakhstan. The hierarch shared his positive impressions of his recent visit to the construction site of the future church and educational complex and familiarization with the completed work.

M.A. Ashimbayev congratulated Metropolitan Alexander on the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the canonical and legal status of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, which, according to the Head of State, consistently conducts active educational and social work and contributes to the promotion of traditional spiritual and moral values, and the steady development of interethnic and interfaith dialogue.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and the Chairman of the Senate of the Republic exchanged wishes of health and success in their work.