Patriarchal Greeting on the Occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the Return of St. Nicholas Cathedral of Kazakhstan’s Southern Capital to the Orthodox Church

Greeting of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the return to the Russian Orthodox Church of the cathedral dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, in the city of Alma-Ata:

To His Eminence,

the Most Reverend ALEXANDER,

Metropolitan of Astana and Kazakhstan,

Head of the Metropolitan District

of the Russian Orthodox Church

in the Republic of Kazakhstan

To the participants in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral in the city of Alma-Ata to the Russian Orthodox Church

Your Eminence!

Beloved archpastors in the Lord,

honorable fathers, dear brothers and sisters!

CHRIST IS RISEN!

With these life-affirming words of the Paschal proclamation, I cordially greet all of you and congratulate you on the 80th anniversary of the return of St. Nicholas Cathedral of Kazakhstan’s Southern Capital to the Russian Orthodox Church. The commemorated date is undoubtedly a significant event both for the Orthodox residents of Alma-Ata and for all the faithful of the Metropolitan District in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In 2010, I had the opportunity to visit this remarkable church, which in the last century shared the fate of many Orthodox holy places: by decision of the authorities, it was closed and for ten years remained inaccessible for the celebration of divine services.

Through the labors of the confessor Metropolitan Nicholas (Mogilevsky), St. Nicholas Church was returned to the faithful in 1946 and for half a century served as the cathedral of the Alma-Ata Diocese and the principal church of Kazakhstan. Here a strong community of zealous clergy and parishioners was formed, many of whom, during difficult times for the Church, found the strength and courage to bear witness before their contemporaries to Christ Crucified and Risen. In addition to the confessor Metropolitan Nicholas, whose relics now rest beneath the vaults of this cathedral, ascetics of piety and confessors of the faith served here: Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), Archbishop Hermogenes (Golubev), and other outstanding hierarchs and pastors of the twentieth century.

Today St. Nicholas Cathedral is one of the symbols of the revival of Orthodoxy on the soil of Kazakhstan and an important spiritual center. It is gratifying to note that extensive educational and social work is carried out here, Sunday schools for children and adults are active, social ministry is conducted, and a sisterhood of mercy has been organized. I hope that this historic church will continue to be a place of active creative labor and fervent prayer for all who seek salvation and long for spiritual consolation and support.

“May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, Himself perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10–11).

With love in the Risen Lord,

+ KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUS’