A meeting took place between Metropolitan Alexander and the Ambassador of Italy to Kazakhstan Antonello De Riu

6 March 2026. Astana. The Dormition Cathedral of the capital and the spiritual, cultural and administrative center of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District named after the Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius were visited by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Kazakhstan, Antonello De Riu.

A tour of the main church of Kazakhstan was conducted for the Italian ambassador. During the tour, the Dean of the parishes of the capital, Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev), told the guest about the construction and adornment of the church, about the painting of the walls and vaults executed by an artel of icon painters from the town of Palekh (Russia, Ivanovo Region), about the creation of the carved gilded iconostasis and icon cases made by carvers of the artistic production workshop named after Theodore Stratelates (Russia, the city of Kostroma) in the traditions of the seventeenth century, and decorated with icons painted by the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation S.N. Sokolov.

Before the shrines of the cathedral, among which is a portion of the relics of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, presented to the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan by the Secretary of State of the Vatican City State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Antonello De Riu lit candles.

Father Sergy emphasized that the cathedral has been visited by prominent state, religious and public figures, among them: His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’; His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem; President of Russia V.V. Putin; the Dean of the College of Cardinals of the Holy See, legate of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Angelo Sodano; and the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Cardinal Peter K.A. Turkson.

A meeting between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and the head of the Italian diplomatic mission took place in the fireplace hall of the Synodal and Spiritual–Cultural Center of the Metropolitan District.

Present at the meeting were: Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev); Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Yendovitsky); Head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service Protodeacon Roman Golovin; assistant to the Metropolitan I.E. Yatsenko.

The ambassador told Metropolitan Alexander about his life path and about his work in diplomatic missions in Iran, Korea, Tunisia, the People’s Republic of China and Kosovo.

A special topic of the conversation was the escalation of the international conflict around Iran. High appreciation was expressed for the efforts being undertaken by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and Pope Leo XIV to resolve the situation that has arisen. The sides noted that all Christian leaders are praying for peace in the Middle East and are calling upon the international community for the swift reconciliation of the opposing sides. In the opinion of both sides, in the difficult time of the spread and intensification of conflicts in different countries on national or religious grounds, Kazakhstan shows an example of good neighborliness and fraternal love to regions where representatives of different peoples and confessions live.

Metropolitan Alexander shared with the guest his impressions of his pilgrimages to the shrines of Italy. The archpastor noted that for many years there have been friendly ties between the Astana Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Conversano–Monopoli (Italy, Apulia).

During the continued conversation, views were exchanged on a number of issues of mutual interest. The topic of organizing pilgrimages of Kazakhstanis to the relics of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, in the city of Bari and to the ancient shrines of the Italian land was discussed.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, the sides exchanged wishes of health and success in their labors.