Metropolitan Alexander and the Leadership of the Shymkent Akimat Held a Working Meeting on the Construction of a Memorial Church in Lisya Balka

August 20, 2025. Shymkent. During his visit to the Shymkent Diocese, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, visited the site of the construction of a memorial church dedicated to the New Martyrs of Shymkent in Lisya Balka.

Accompanied by Bishop Chrisanf of Shymkent and Turkestan, the hierarch inspected the construction process, spoke with architects, engineers, and builders.

At the invitation of the Head of the Metropolis, Deputy Akim of the metropolis S.A. Kuranbek arrived at the construction site of the memorial chapel to take part in the working meeting.

The metropolitan held a meeting which, together with the deputy head of the executive authority of the metropolis, was attended by: Bishop Chrisanf of Shymkent and Turkestan; Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolis; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; A.B. Demin, Secretary of the Shymkent Diocese; B.A. Unerbaev, Head of the City Department for Religious Affairs; A. Kuntu, personal assistant to the Deputy Akim; specialists responsible for the construction; diocesan staff; and benefactors – members of the Board of Trustees.

The discussions focused on the progress of the memorial chapel’s construction, its planned completion timed to the visit of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church to Kazakhstan in September of this year, as well as finishing works, decoration of the interior, and landscaping of the surrounding grounds. It is expected that His Holiness Patriarch Kirill will personally consecrate the newly built memorial church and celebrate the first divine service in memory of the New Martyrs and as a commemoration of the victims of political repression.

The initiative to erect a memorial church in Lisya Balka belongs to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’. The infamous Lisya Balka became the place of execution and final rest for thousands of Orthodox Christians. Among them were outstanding spiritual leaders of the past century – Metropolitan Kirill (Smirnov) of Kazan, Metropolitan Joseph (Petrovykh), Archbishop Alexy (Orlov), Bishop Evgeny (Kobranov), many other renowned hierarchs and pastors, and countless simple believers.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, well acquainted with the history of persecution against Orthodoxy, during his official meeting with Maulen Sagathanovich Ashimbayev, Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, held on November 22, 2024, proposed the construction of a memorial church in Lisya Balka, now within the territory of modern Shymkent. The creation of the memorial chapel will serve the cause of perpetuating the memory of Orthodox hierarchs, clergy, and laity who suffered for their faith in modern-day Southern Kazakhstan in the 20th century.

The project of erecting the memorial chapel, having received the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, was considered by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelovich Tokayev. After studying the matter, President Tokayev approved the establishment in Lisya Balka of two religious memorials – an Orthodox chapel and a Muslim mosque, since representatives of both major traditional Kazakhstani confessions – Islam and Orthodoxy – innocently killed, found their final resting place in this area.

The construction of the memorial church at the site of the martyrdom and burial of countless people is awaited by a large number of their descendants. Appeals for the creation of the memorial chapel in Lisya Balka, infamous throughout the world, have come not only from Kazakhstan, but also from countries near and far abroad – Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, the USA, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, and others.