Congratulations to Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan on the 14th anniversary of his service on Kazakhstan soil from members of the Synod of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District

His Eminence, Most Reverend Alexander, Metropolitan of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church

Your Eminence, Most Reverend Master!

On March 5, 2010, by the decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod, your holy work began at the department of primates of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

Seeing your many years of work and effort in the field of Christ, sincere love for Orthodoxy and zealous concern for the creation of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:12), the Creator and Provider of the world called you to responsible and difficult service on the ancient land of the Great Steppe, entrusted you with the care of to the numerous people of God living in Kazakhstan, I have entrusted to you the care of the rich spiritual heritage of this country, called “Antimins, spread out under the open sky.” With humility, complete obedience to the will of the Chief Shepherd Christ and the burning of your heart, you accepted this Heavenly lot.

From a young age, your church service took place under the maternal protection of the Queen of Heaven and entering a new period of archpastoral work, you entrusted yourself to the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and relied on the all-powerful help of the Sovereign Lady. A visible symbol of this hope was the list you brought to Kazakhstan from Kostroma, the “measure and likeness” of the miraculous image of the Mother of God revealed by Feodorov. For more than twenty years, heading the diocese on the God-protected land of Kostroma, you were the custodian of this great pan-Orthodox shrine and now in the heart of Eurasia you call on the people of God to diligently venerate the God-chosen Youth.

Fourteen years is a short period in the scale of history, but for the life of the Church of Christ in Kazakhstan this period, full of special events, became an important and significant milestone. The Metropolitan District has gained canonical and legal formalization, the number of Kazakhstan dioceses has increased from three to ten, for which new archpastors have been ordained, a theological seminary is operating, new churches are being built and destroyed shrines are rising from the ruins, spiritual education and charitable activities are developing in Astana and Alma-Ata Administrative and spiritual-cultural centers were built, church museums were created. You provide brotherly support to the episcopate, show fatherly concern for the clergy, the sorrows and joys of believers are close to your heart. Your peacekeeping activities are appreciated by the leaders of the Republic and your advocacy of enduring moral values finds understanding and respect among the leaders of traditional faiths and public figures.

You have earned the special gratitude of the people of Kazakhstan by establishing the tradition of bringing famous Orthodox shrines to the country. This year, during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana and Alma-Ata diocese, thanks to your care, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Healer” will visit us.

Entering the 15th anniversary of your service on Kazakhstan soil, you are filled with new hopes and plans. Your ardent desire to develop various aspects of church life is shared by your faithful assistants - the clergy, monastics and laity. We are all convinced that through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the intercession of the blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky and the Venerable Alexander of Svirsky, we, under your holy omophorion, still have many good undertakings to carry out. Here, on the blessed land of Kazakhstan, the prayers of the new martyrs and confessors will assist you in your sacrificial labors.

Your Eminence! On this special day, the episcopate, clergy and flock of the Metropolitan District cordially congratulate you and fervently pray that the All-Merciful Lord will strengthen you spiritually and physically in the feat of serving as the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.

May the Creator of Heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible, grant you good health and generous longevity, and may your diligent labors bear abundant fruit, which are accomplished “not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Cor. 2: 4).

With respectful love in Christ,

Archbishop Anthony (Moskalenko)
Archbishop of Pavlodar and Ekibastuz Varnava
Archbishop of Karaganda and Shakhty Sevastian
Archbishop of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semipalatinsk Amfilohiy
Archbishop of Kokshetau and Akmola Serapion
Archbishop of Petropavlovsk and Bulaevsk Vladimir
Bishop of Kaskelensky Gennady,
Administrator of the Kazakh Metropolitan District
Bishop of Aktobe and Kyzylorda Ignatius
Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan, vicar of the Astana diocese
Bishop of Talgar Benjamin, vicar of the Astana diocese
Bishop of Ural and Atyrau Vianor