Metropolitan Alexander and the delegation accompanying the relics of Saint Spyridon meet with the Head of the Baikonur City Administration, K.D. Busygin

October 7, 2026. Baikonur. A meeting between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and Konstantin Dmitrievich Busygin, Head of the Baikonur City Administration, was held in the Great Hall of the City Administration.

Participating in the meeting on behalf of the Orthodox Church were O.N. Ovchinnikov, Chancellor of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan and Honored Worker of Arts of the Russian Federation; Bishop Ignatius of Aktobe and Kyzylorda; Bishop Klavdian of Taldykorgan, Vicar of the Astana Diocese; Priest George Sidorov, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Head of the Metropolitan’s Protocol Service; V.M. Kapsamun, President of the Eleos-Meirim Public Foundation; and representatives of the delegation of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu of the Church of Greece – Protopresbyter Evangelos Koutras, Protopresbyter Thomas Kostamonitis, Pavlos Spyridonis, and Spyridon Agathos.

Representing the civil authorities were K.Y. Nurtai, Deputy Akim of Kyzylorda Region and Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the Baikonur Complex; A.N. Makeev, Acting Head of the Cosmodrome and Director of the Southern Space Center branch of the Joint Stock Company TsENKI; representatives of the city administration; heads of public and ethnocultural associations; members of the public; Orthodox faithful of the city; and journalists from state and private media outlets.

The Head of the City Administration warmly welcomed Metropolitan Alexander and the representatives of the Church of Greece, thanking the Head of the Metropolitan District and the Greek clergy for their initiative and for organizing the bringing to Baikonur of the renowned Christian sacred relic – the relics of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous.

During the meeting, K.D. Busygin told the guests about life in Kazakhstan’s space capital, the city’s socio-economic development, and projects aimed at improving urban infrastructure. In particular, Konstantin Dmitrievich informed those present about the ceremonial opening, on October 1, of the renovated City Park of Culture and Recreation.

According to the Head of the executive authority, the renovated park is intended to become one of the main places for local residents to enjoy family leisure, as well as the principal venue for cultural and public events.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan shared with the Head of the City Administration and those present his positive impressions of his visit to the new open-air Museum of the History of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in G.M. Shubnikov City Park and to the Church of the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Unburnt Bush.”

The Metropolitan expressed his particular gratitude to Konstantin Dmitrievich for his attention to the needs of the city’s Orthodox faithful and his active participation in the restoration and renovation work carried out on the grounds of the bishop’s metochion of the Aktobe Diocese.

The representatives of the Greek delegation shared their positive impressions of their journey through Kazakhstan and, in particular, of discovering the sights of the city of Baikonur. The foreign guests told the Head of the executive authority and those gathered about the principal milestones in the life of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous and the numerous miracles performed through the prayers of the great servant of God.

During the meeting, the Head of the Metropolitan District presented Church awards of the Metropolitan District.

The Order of “Yntaly Kyzmet Ushin” (“For Diligent Service”) was presented to:

• N.P. Adasev and S.P. Letyagin, Deputy Heads of the City of Baikonur, and A.V. Radaev, Head of the Administration’s Control Department – for their work in developing relations between the Baikonur City Administration and the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• K.Y. Nurtai, Deputy Akim of Kyzylorda Region and Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the Baikonur Complex – for his work in developing relations between the Akimat of Kyzylorda Region and the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• K.Zh. Abdubatayev, Head of the Baikonur branch of S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia PJSC – for his work in developing relations between the state corporation Roscosmos and the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• R.R. Galiulin, General Director of SAVIK LLC; O.P. Buynevich, Director of EnergoStroyMontazh Company LLC; A.A. Khrypko, General Director of Arsenal+ LLC; A.N. Ladeyshchikov, General Director of Aleks-Service LLC; and ktitors A.E. Evdokimov and V.V. Abdrakhmanov – for their work for the benefit of the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In recognition of his work in developing relations between the Baikonur City Administration and the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Order of Saint Sebastian the Confessor of Karaganda was presented to K.D. Busygin, Head of the Baikonur City Administration.

His Eminence congratulated the recipients and wished them good health, longevity, and the mercy of the Lord.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, the parties exchanged commemorative souvenirs and good wishes.

During a subsequent briefing, the Head of the Metropolitan District and representatives of the Greek delegation answered questions from journalists representing state and private media outlets concerning the stay of the relics of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous in Kazakhstan.