A Delegation from the Saint Petersburg City Administration Visits the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty

October 28, 2025 – Almaty. The Ascension Cathedral in Almaty was visited by a delegation from the Saint Petersburg City Administration, led by Andrei Sergeyevich Mikhailov, Deputy Head of the Governor’s Administration of Saint Petersburg and Chairman of the Committee for Civil Service and Personnel Policy.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the delegation was welcomed by Archpriest Alexander Suvorov, Key Keeper of the Cathedral and Head of the Metropolitan District’s Department for Public Relations.

The clergyman spoke to the guests about the history of the cathedral’s construction, a spiritual and cultural gem of the Semirechye region, noted for its unique architecture and vibrant contemporary life. During the tour, Father Alexander gave detailed explanations about the large-scale professional restoration carried out from 2017 to 2020. It was noted that all restoration work was performed under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and UNESCO, with the involvement of top specialists from Kazakhstan, Russia, Serbia, Italy, Germany, and France.

Archpriest Alexander emphasized that during his visit to the cathedral in 2019, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave high praise to the completed restoration works, calling the project “the second birth of Kazakhstan’s national shrine.”

Members of the delegation lit candles before the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God and expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome. The guests highly commended the efforts to preserve spiritual and cultural heritage and noted the cathedral’s significance as a symbol of friendship and cultural cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia.

At the conclusion of the visit, both sides exchanged views on the prospects for spiritual and cultural integration and the strengthening of fraternal ties between the two nations.