Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russia Dauren Abayev visits the Representation of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan in Moscow

On June 30, 2025, in Moscow, at the invitation of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the Representation of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan at the Patriarchal Metochion at the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love, and their mother Sophia was visited by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation, Dauren Askerbekovich Abayev.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Church Singing, O.N. Ovchinnikov, and the sacristan of the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love, and their mother Sophia, Hieromonk Anthony (Drobyazko).

Metropolitan Alexander conducted a tour of the church for the guest, spoke about the history of the old capital parish on Miusy, and about the activities of the Representation of the Metropolitan District, established at the Patriarchal Metochion on March 14, 2012, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’. His Eminence emphasized that the Patriarchal Metochion was visited by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev.

The Metropolitan noted that over the past three and a half years, with the support of benefactors, large-scale restoration work has been underway at the church – a federally recognized cultural and architectural heritage site of the nineteenth century – and he shared plans for the improvement of the church grounds and the renovation of buildings and utility structures.

This was followed by a conversation between the hierarch and the head of the Kazakh diplomatic mission in the administrative building of the Representation. One of the main topics of the meeting was the preparation for the upcoming Primatial visit to Kazakhstan of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, who is expected to arrive in Astana to take part in the Eighth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, scheduled for September 17–18 of this year.

Metropolitan Alexander and Dauren Askerbekovich discussed the implementation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s initiative to establish a memorial chapel in Lisya Balka, located in present-day Shymkent, in memory of the countless innocent sufferers for Christ. The Metropolitan informed the guest about the blessing of a cross and foundation stone for the future chapel in honor of the New Martyrs of Chimkent on May 11, and about the subsequent working meeting with 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 country’s President, K.-J.K. Tokayev, a memorial mosque and an Orthodox chapel are to be built this year in memory of the innocently slain in Lisya Balka – whose number exceeds 18,000 people according to official data. The Primate is expected to consecrate the newly built chapel and celebrate the first service there in memory of the New Martyrs and in commemoration of the victims of political repression.

During the meeting, the Head of the Metropolitan District informed D.A. Abayev about the progress of the construction in Astana of the spiritual, cultural, and educational center with a church dedicated to All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Land of Kazakhstan. This project is being carried out with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and with the approval of the head of state.

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and the head of the diplomatic mission discussed various aspects of religious life in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation. They exchanged views on a wide range of topics of mutual interest.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, Metropolitan Alexander and D.A. Abayev exchanged well wishes and expressed confidence that the Kazakh diplomatic mission and the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan will continue their good cooperation.