Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Nikolayevich Chernyshenko visited the Dormition Cathedral in Astana

September 10, 2025. Astana. At the invitation of the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Nikolayevich Chernyshenko visited the Dormition Cathedral.

At the main church of the country, the high guest, who was in the capital of the Republic on an official visit, was received by Metropolitan Alexander.

Present at the meeting of the Deputy Prime Minister and the hierarch were: Dean of the parishes of Astana Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev), sacristan of the Dormition Cathedral Hieromonk Dimitry (Baydek), Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolis Priest Georgy Sidorov, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to the Republic of Kazakhstan A.N. Borodavkin, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation N.V. Parshikova.

The metropolitan warmly welcomed Dmitry Nikolayevich and gave him a tour. The archpastor noted that the Dormition Cathedral, the largest church in Central Asia, was consecrated in 2010 by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, and among the honored guests who have visited it are President of Russia V.V. Putin, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, heads of foreign states, spiritual and public leaders of various countries.

The Deputy Prime Minister was told about the history of the cathedral’s construction, in which highly skilled craftsmen from Kazakhstan, Russia, and CIS countries took part.

Dmitry Nikolayevich venerated the sacred relics of the cathedral, including a reliquary with the relics of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan, and revered icons of the Mother of God: the Feodorovskaya Icon — an exact copy, “measure for measure,” of the ancient miracle-working image kept in Kostroma, and the Astana-Pochaev Icon of the Queen of Heaven, symbolizing the heavenly protection of the Sovereign Lady over the land of Kazakhstan. Before the relics, the guest lit candles for the well-being of Russia and Kazakhstan and for the successful development of relations between the two brotherly countries.

During the conversation, Metropolitan Alexander told D.N. Chernyshenko about preparations for the upcoming visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to Kazakhstan, who, at the invitation of President K.-Zh.K. Tokayev, will take part in the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.

The Deputy Prime Minister also became acquainted with the construction of the spiritual, cultural, and educational center of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, which will include a church dedicated to All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Land of Kazakhstan.

The Head of the Metropolis and Dmitry Nikolayevich exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual interest. It was noted that thanks to the trusting dialogue and regular contacts between President K.-Zh.K. Tokayev of Kazakhstan and President V.V. Putin of Russia, stable economic and cultural-humanitarian ties have been established and are successfully developing in the framework of strategic partnership and alliance.

The hierarch invited the Deputy Prime Minister to visit the spiritual, cultural, and administrative center of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan in Almaty, named after the Confessor of the Faith Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), as well as the historical and cultural jewel of Kazakhstan — the Ascension Cathedral of the southern capital. At the conclusion of their cordial meeting, the parties exchanged wishes of health and success in their labors.

On the same day, before visiting the Dormition Cathedral, D.N. Chernyshenko, as part of his official program, held a working meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan O.A. Bektenov, devoted to issues of bilateral cooperation in the fields of digitalization and innovation, sports, tourism, and education.

The Deputy Prime Minister also met with professors and students of the Kazakhstan branches of Moscow State University (MSU) and MGIMO, and evaluated the infrastructure. Dmitry Nikolayevich thanked the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and congratulated the students on the new academic year. He also spoke about joint projects in the field of youth policy. This year alone, more than 30 joint events of various formats are on the calendar. At present, young Kazakhstani citizens are participating in the “Berega” youth educational forum in Astrakhan, and next week they will travel to Nizhny Novgorod for the gathering of the World Youth Festival. Students asked questions about artificial intelligence, the potential of youth laboratories, and the training of bachelor’s and master’s students at foreign branches of Russian universities. D.N. Chernyshenko supported a student’s initiative to publish, together with other MSU branches, a Eurasian “Book of Memory of the War.” He also noted that this year Russia launched the national project “Youth and Children,” which is aimed, among other things, at patriotic education and historical awareness.