Metropolitan Alexander and the delegation of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu meet with Akim of Pavlodar Region A.K. Baikhanov

October 8, 2026. Pavlodar. A meeting between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and the Head of the region, Asain Kuandykovich Baikhanov, was held at the Regional Akimat.

Participating in the meeting were, on behalf of the Orthodox Church: 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; Archpriest Alexy Stepanov, Chancellor of the Pavlodar Diocese and Dean of the Pavlodar Church District; 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; 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; and, on behalf of the civil authorities, Deputy Akim of Pavlodar Region A.K. Malikova and Acting Chairperson of the Regional Maslikhat I.P. Nazarchuk.

The Akim of Pavlodar Region 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 the capital of the Irtysh region of the renowned Christian sacred relic – the relics of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous.

Asain Kuandykovich told the guests about life in the region and provided statistical data concerning industry and agriculture. In particular, the Head of the region noted the high pace of the harvest campaign, during which agricultural producers had harvested more than 700,000 tons of grain. The Akim also shared information with the participants of the meeting about the modernization of the agricultural machinery fleet and the development of irrigated agriculture.

The Head of the executive authority informed his interlocutors about the prospects for restoring navigation on the Irtysh River, which had been discussed at the International Forum “Irtysh – River of Friendship, River of Development,” held in Pavlodar. A.K. Baikhanov emphasized the importance of this area for expanding transport and logistics links and strengthening economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and neighboring states.

The Head of the Metropolitan District shared with the Akim of Pavlodar Region information about the pilgrimage of the relics of the Hierarch of Trimythous to various cities of Kazakhstan. According to Metropolitan Alexander, the bringing of the sacred relic to the Republic represents a unique opportunity for a large number of the faithful to venerate the incorrupt right hand of this great servant of God, who is revered throughout the Christian world.

During the meeting, the Greek clergy noted the visible presence in Kazakhstan of a special atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding among people of different nationalities and religious convictions, manifested both in the proximity of mosques and Orthodox churches and in everyday human interaction. It was the common view of the participants that the unique environment of good-neighborliness, peace, and harmony characteristic of Kazakhstan, fostered in the Republic through the policy of the Head of State, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is today an example worthy of emulation for many countries with multi-confessional and multi-ethnic populations.

The participants exchanged views on a broad range of issues of mutual interest. They discussed cooperation between the Regional Akimat and the Pavlodar Diocese in preserving the historical and cultural heritage of the region, affirming traditional spiritual and moral values in the life of the people, and preventing extremism.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, the Head of the Metropolitan District presented the Akim of Pavlodar Region with a 2027 calendar of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and a photo album published to mark the bringing of the relics of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous to the territory of the Metropolitan District in 2012.