The Head of the Metropolitan District and the Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate Discuss Preparations for the Upcoming Visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Kazakhstan

January 28, 2025. Moscow. A meeting took place at the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in the Danilov Monastery between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan, and Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk, Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Following an exchange of greetings, Metropolitan Alexander briefed Metropolitan Gregory on his recent meetings with representatives of diplomatic missions, including the Ambassador of Belarus P.V. Utyupin and the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop George Panamthundil. He also discussed his interactions with the Chairman of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.S. Ashimbaev, the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan A.G. Balaeva, the Mayor of Shymkent G.A. Syzdykbeko, and other state and public figures.

The primary focus of their discussion was the preparation for the upcoming visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Kazakhstan. The Patriarch is scheduled to visit the Republic to participate in the VIII Congress of World and Traditional Religions, which will take place in Astana on September 17–18, 2025.

The archpastors exchanged views on a wide range of topics of mutual interest. They addressed issues of church-state relations, interfaith dialogue in Kazakhstan, and the development of theological education within the Metropolitan District.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the archpastors exchanged well-wishes for health and God’s help in their ecclesiastical work.