A meeting took place between the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and the President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso.

On August 3, 2024, in Almaty, the President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, who is on an official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, visited the main church of the Southern capital—the Ascension Cathedral.

The distinguished guest was met at the cathedral by the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

The meeting was attended by: O.N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan and Honored Artist of Russia; Protopriest Alexander Suvorov, sacristan of the Ascension Cathedral and head of the Public Relations Department of the Metropolitan District; Protopriest Evgeny Ivanov, Acting Rector of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary and head of the Information Department of the Metropolitan District; Priest Georgy Sidorov, head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District; Protodeacon Roman Golovin, head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service; and members of the official delegations of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Congo.

Metropolitan Alexander told Denis Sassou Nguesso about the history of the construction of the Ascension Cathedral, which is the tallest wooden Orthodox church in the world. During their conversation, the hierarch highlighted the uniqueness of the cathedral's architecture and its historical significance, noting that it has been included in the list of 100 nationwide sacred sites of Kazakhstan as part of the presidential program "Rukhani Zhangyru."

During the tour, the Head of the Metropolitan District provided detailed information on the extensive professional restoration of the cathedral, carried out from 2017 to 2020. It was noted that the work was performed under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic and UNESCO, involving top-level professional specialists from Kazakhstan, Russia, Serbia, Italy, Germany, and France, utilizing advanced technologies and high-quality modern materials.

Metropolitan Alexander emphasized that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, who visited the cathedral in 2019, highly praised the results of the restoration work and referred to the completed project as the "second birth of the national shrine of Kazakhstan."

The President of the Republic of Congo noted the elegance and grandeur of the cathedral's exterior and the beauty of the interiors adorned with murals. The hierarch explained that the icon painters from the city of Palekh used sketches by Nikolay Gavrilovich Khludov, a renowned iconographer and artist, in creating the murals. Khludov worked on decorating the cathedral's interiors and was one of the teachers of Abilkhan Kasteev, the first professional artist of Kazakhstan, after whom the state museum of arts in Almaty is named.

During the conversation, the Metropolitan told Denis Sassou Nguesso about the life of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan, which is preparing to celebrate a special date next year—the 15th anniversary of the establishment of its canonical and legal status.

The guest lit a candle before the cathedral's shrine, the Theodore-Almaty Icon of the Mother of God, for the prosperity of his country and the development of relations between Congo and Kazakhstan.

At the end of the tour of the main church of the Southern capital, the President of the Republic of Congo left a commemorative note in the guest book.

The distinguished guest shared his impressions of getting acquainted with Kazakhstan and told Metropolitan Alexander about his life journey and his work as the President of the Republic of Congo.

The interlocutors discussed the current international political situation and a number of issues related to the peacemaking activities of traditional confessions. Metropolitan Alexander emphasized the consolidating role of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan in the development of state-confessional and interreligious dialogue in Kazakhstan. He noted that President Tokayev attaches great importance to the spiritual and moral component in public life and considers the strengthening of good neighborliness and brotherly love among the citizens as a key to the country's development.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which took place in a warm atmosphere, the Head of the Metropolitan District presented the President of the Republic of Congo with an icon of the Ascension of the Lord and a book-album that tells the story of the spiritual and cultural gem of the Seven Rivers region—the main cathedral of Almaty, detailing its construction and comprehensive scientific restoration.