Relics of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called

On November 30, 2012, in the main Orthodox church of Kazakhstan – the Assumption Cathedral in Astana, a representative delegation of the Roman Catholic Church, headed by the Secretary of State of the Vatican City-State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, presented a relic of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called as a gift to the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The solemn act of transferring the holy relics and the moleben to the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, with the participation of the bishops of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, was led by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

On January 7, 2012, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan presented a special reliquary for storing the holy relics of the First-Called disciple of Christ.

The new reliquary for the great relic, made of precious metals and adorned with precious stones and enamel inserts, was created by the efforts of the Head of the Metropolitan District of Kazakhstan in the Alexander Nevsky Artistic Workshop in Moscow by the renowned jeweler A.I. Aniskin.

"Today we are witnessing a historic event – the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan gratefully accepts a gift from the Roman Catholic Church, a relic of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Henceforth, in the largest church in Central Asia – the majestic Assumption Cathedral, built with the support and direct participation of President N.A. Nazarbayev, the believers of the country will be able to touch the great shrine of the Christian world," – From the address of Metropolitan Alexander.

According to the biblical account, Saint Andrew was the first of the apostles to follow Christ. The Evangelist Matthew recounts that the Savior, walking by the Sea of Galilee, "saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.' And they immediately left their nets and followed Him" (Matt. 4:18).

According to tradition, the Apostle Andrew preached the Gospel in the eastern countries, passing through Asia Minor and the Black Sea coast, ascending the Dnieper River to the hills where Kyiv now stands, blessing and sanctifying the vast expanses of Eurasia.